Events at this location

Opening Reception: 18 January, 5 – 8 PM

Exhibition Dates: 6 December, 2024 – 6 January, 2025

Location: Dairy Arts Center Lobby, 2590 Walnut St, Boulder, CO 80302

Erica Podwoiski’s Under the Cold Moon is a poetic exploration of the shifting seasons along Colorado’s Front Range, where life both endures and transforms in the quiet beauty of winter. Using cyanotype—one of the earliest forms of camera-less photography—Podwoiski collaborates with the sun to create delicate “sun prints” that blend traditional drawing techniques with foraged natural materials from Boulder County. Her work captures fleeting moments of stillness, offering viewers a contemplative pause in the rhythm of daily life.

The installation showcases plants, animals, and insects that endure year-round or retreat during Colorado’s coldest months. Podwoiski layers charcoal and graphite renderings of local wildlife on mylar with foraged materials like snakeskins, feathers, and dried leaves, creating dynamic compositions where drawn and natural elements intertwine. Each cyanotype becomes a fossil-like record of fleeting existence. Attuned to seasonal rhythms, Podwoiski’s process reflects nature’s challenges. Winter’s shorter days, colder temperatures, and dimmed UV light extend the time required for each cyanotype, highlighting the resilience shared by both the artist and the environment.

Throughout the exhibition, specters of past, present, and future seasons converge, inviting quiet introspection. The work celebrates the fortitude of the winter solstice, the peace of long nights, and the promise of renewal. By walking familiar paths, observing an orb weaver’s web as it disappears, or returning to the same willow tree through the seasons, Podwoiski forges a profound connection to the natural world. Under the Cold Moon reminds us of the beauty in stillness and the quiet resilience of life that endures, even in the harshest moments.

Poster artwork: Collaboration between Erica Podwoiski and Kelsey Jean Clark

About the artist:

Erica Podwoiski is a visual artist whose work explores intimate encounters with the natural world. Born and raised in Metro Detroit, Erica received her BFA from the Columbus College of Art & Design in 2010 and her MFA from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2017. She has exhibited at the Gallery of Contemporary Art (GOCA) in Colorado Springs, inside the Denver-based pop-up art truck Hey Hue, at the Galerie in Körnerpark in Berlin, and with the artist-founded Buckham Gallery in Flint, MI. In 2024, she served as the Summer Artist in Residence at the Firehouse Art Center in Longmont, CO. When not teaching adult classes in the 2D arts, Erica can be found pressing flowers, appreciating moths, and collecting dead bugs for inspiration.

Exhibition Dates: December 13, 2024 – January 12, 2025

Opening Reception: December 18, 5 – 8 PM

Location: Locals Only Gallery, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St, Boulder, CO 80302

Cowboys have long been romanticized in American culture. In the late 1950s and 60s, TV and movie Westerns epitomized the myths of American independence, grit, and the frontier. Popular shows like Gunsmoke, The Rifleman, Bonanza, and Have Gun Will Travel captured the imaginations of Americans on a weekly basis, while films such as True Grit and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly further glorified the American West. Against the backdrop of social upheaval in the second half of the 20th century, this media fueled nostalgia for an idealized, rugged American past. At the same time, America’s pop art movement was flourishing. Visionary artists like Andy Warhol, James Rosenquist, Jasper Johns, and Edward Ruscha transformed everyday consumer objects and advertisements into high art, challenging conventional perceptions of artistic value.

Jerome Coffey’s COWBOYS exhibition explores the dynamic collision of two iconic American cultural moments: the romanticized cowboy and the vibrant, bold aesthetic of pop art. Reflecting on the predominantly white-centric portrayal of cowboys in American media, Jerome’s COWBOYS series integrates portraits of cowboys from BIPOC backgrounds, celebrating the true diverse tapestry of the American West. These works honor the contributions of communities who have long been part of the cowboy legacy but were often underrepresented or excluded from mainstream narratives.

Experience COWBOYS at The Dairy Arts Center, where Jerome Coffey bridges the symbolic imagery of the cowboy with the energy of pop art, inviting viewers to reconsider the myths and multifaceted realities of American identity.

Dairy Art Center’s 2025 Black Futures in Art exhibition, The Space Between Us, invites us to reimagine the unseen distances that define and divide us. Building upon last year’s powerful theme, “Can You Hear Me?” this exhibition explores the energy and potential within the gaps that separate individuals, communities, and cultures. These spaces are not voids; they are dynamic realms of possibility where understanding, empathy, and collaboration can flourish.

In a world often marked by divisions of race, class, and cultural differences, this exhibition asks us to reflect on how those separations came to be, why they persist, and what it will take to dismantle them. The Space Between Us is not a critique of the walls but a celebration of the bridges we can build—of the creativity, resilience, and humanity that can thrive in the in-between.

Black artists and allies from across Colorado and the US honor the past while architecting the future with artworks ranging from floral installations to oil paintings that explore the interconnectedness of our shared humanity. Their works confront the narratives that have shaped our collective consciousness and challenge us to forge a path forward. These artists illuminate the complexities of identity and history while offering visions of solidarity, where our differences become a source of strength rather than division. Each piece in this exhibit invites the viewer to confront their perceptions, to feel the energy that exists between “us” and “them,” and to consider what is required to transform those barriers into bonds. The artworks provoke, inspire, and hold space for dialogue, urging us to rethink the roles we play in fostering community and dismantling exclusion.

Black Futures in Art: The Space Between Us is an exploration of interconnectedness—of the power and potential within the space we share. Through creativity, we are reminded that the energy we bring into these spaces can change the world. When we honor each other’s stories, acknowledge the weight of our differences, and move toward collaboration, we create a collective vision that celebrates humanity in its most vibrant and inclusive form.

We invite you to join us in honoring our past, navigating the present, and boldly stepping into a future that redefines the spaces we inhabit—together.

Motus presents our 3rd annual arts-based event inspiring action in alignment with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with the musical medicine of The ReMINDers. After the Dr. King morning marches (and Inauguration Day), join Motus and the ReMINDers at 3pm for the antidote to ‘divide and conquer’ politics – an inspiring intersectional array of Motus monologues from Black transgender, immigrant, and leaders who were formerly incarcerated. Together we will leave encouraged and committed to building ‘the beloved community.’ Featuring performances from Motus monologists Cynthia Randall, Alison Reba, with Alexis Miles and MORE!

Dairy Art Center’s 2025 Black Futures in Art exhibition, The Space Between Us, invites us to reimagine the unseen distances that define and divide us. Building upon last year’s powerful theme, “Can You Hear Me?” this exhibition explores the energy and potential within the gaps that separate individuals, communities, and cultures. These spaces are not voids; they are dynamic realms of possibility where understanding, empathy, and collaboration can flourish.

In a world often marked by divisions of race, class, and cultural differences, this exhibition asks us to reflect on how those separations came to be, why they persist, and what it will take to dismantle them. The Space Between Us is not a critique of the walls but a celebration of the bridges we can build—of the creativity, resilience, and humanity that can thrive in the in-between.

Black artists and allies from across Colorado and the US honor the past while architecting the future with artworks ranging from floral installations to oil paintings that explore the interconnectedness of our shared humanity. Their works confront the narratives that have shaped our collective consciousness and challenge us to forge a path forward. These artists illuminate the complexities of identity and history while offering visions of solidarity, where our differences become a source of strength rather than division. Each piece in this exhibit invites the viewer to confront their perceptions, to feel the energy that exists between “us” and “them,” and to consider what is required to transform those barriers into bonds. The artworks provoke, inspire, and hold space for dialogue, urging us to rethink the roles we play in fostering community and dismantling exclusion.

Black Futures in Art: The Space Between Us is an exploration of interconnectedness—of the power and potential within the space we share. Through creativity, we are reminded that the energy we bring into these spaces can change the world. When we honor each other’s stories, acknowledge the weight of our differences, and move toward collaboration, we create a collective vision that celebrates humanity in its most vibrant and inclusive form.

We invite you to join us in honoring our past, navigating the present, and boldly stepping into a future that redefines the spaces we inhabit—together.

Boulder Opera invites you to experience the drama and intensity of Puccini’s masterpieces, “Gianni Schicchi” and “Il Tabarro.” This compelling double bill showcases an ensemble orchestra conducted by the acclaimed Brandon Matthews with riveting stage direction by Gene Roberts. “Gianni Schicchi” offers a delightful tale of cunning and humor, while “Il Tabarro” unfolds a gripping story of love and betrayal on the Seine. Together, these operas provide a rich, emotional contrast that captures the essence of Puccini’s genius. Join us for an evening of unforgettable opera contrasting tragedy and comedy with extraordinary melodies.

Friday, February 7, 2025 at 7:00 PM

Saturday, February 8, 2025 at 7:00 PM

Sunday, February 9, 2025 at 3:00 PM

Dairy Art Center’s 2025 Black Futures in Art exhibition, The Space Between Us, invites us to reimagine the unseen distances that define and divide us. Building upon last year’s powerful theme, “Can You Hear Me?” this exhibition explores the energy and potential within the gaps that separate individuals, communities, and cultures. These spaces are not voids; they are dynamic realms of possibility where understanding, empathy, and collaboration can flourish.

In a world often marked by divisions of race, class, and cultural differences, this exhibition asks us to reflect on how those separations came to be, why they persist, and what it will take to dismantle them. The Space Between Us is not a critique of the walls but a celebration of the bridges we can build—of the creativity, resilience, and humanity that can thrive in the in-between.

Black artists and allies from across Colorado and the US honor the past while architecting the future with artworks ranging from floral installations to oil paintings that explore the interconnectedness of our shared humanity. Their works confront the narratives that have shaped our collective consciousness and challenge us to forge a path forward. These artists illuminate the complexities of identity and history while offering visions of solidarity, where our differences become a source of strength rather than division. Each piece in this exhibit invites the viewer to confront their perceptions, to feel the energy that exists between “us” and “them,” and to consider what is required to transform those barriers into bonds. The artworks provoke, inspire, and hold space for dialogue, urging us to rethink the roles we play in fostering community and dismantling exclusion.

Black Futures in Art: The Space Between Us is an exploration of interconnectedness—of the power and potential within the space we share. Through creativity, we are reminded that the energy we bring into these spaces can change the world. When we honor each other’s stories, acknowledge the weight of our differences, and move toward collaboration, we create a collective vision that celebrates humanity in its most vibrant and inclusive form.

We invite you to join us in honoring our past, navigating the present, and boldly stepping into a future that redefines the spaces we inhabit—together.