Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Leah Brenner Clack

Executive Director and Founder, Street Wise Arts

hello@streetwisearts.org  

720-352-8194

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 5, 2026

Superior, Colorado –  Street Wise Arts and the Town of Superior will co-produce the Superior Mural Festival, celebrating the Town’s growing community through public art installations and events on October 4, 2026. Street Wise Arts has produced seven successful mural festivals and installed more than 170 murals in Boulder County. This partnership with the Town of Superior creates a new and impactful mural festival uniquely designed for the Superior community.

“Superior’s vibrant community and active public spaces represent everything we look for in a partner,” says Leah Brenner Clack, Founder and Executive Director of Street Wise Arts. “We look forward to working alongside the Town to celebrate its unique character through world-class public art that neighbors can enjoy for years to come.”

The Superior Mural Festival presented by Street Wise Arts aims to activate the Town of Superior’s public spaces, foster community pride, and support local artists. Street Wise Arts collaborated with Superior’s Cultural Arts and Public Spaces Advisory Committee (CAPS) to select a variety of walls for the festival. The walls vary in size from small to large, which will contribute to a robust and impactful first year mural festival and provide opportunities for artists from a variety of career stages. 

The Town and CAPS selected a theme of nature and regrowth, encouraging artists to consider contemporary, unique, and creative approaches to the theme within their mural designs. The theme celebrates the Town’s unparalleled connections with nature through its 630 acres of parks, green space, and open space and 35 miles of trails. Additionally, it offers opportunities for reflection as the Town continues to expand and define its cultural identity. 

“Downtown Superior is evolving, and this is exactly the kind of energy we want to build—creative, public, and something people can be part of,” says Mark Lacis, Mayor of the Town of Superior. The Superior Mural Festival presented by Street Wise Arts will headquarter itself at the Superior Civic Space, located in the heart of Downtown Superior and surrounded by the festival walls. 

In addition to the live mural installation, the festival will offer free public programming, including an exhibition of artworks by the artist lineup, artist panel discussion, mural walking tours, and art education workshops. These programs offer community members the ability to connect with and get to know their neighbors as well as the local artists creating murals during the festival. The Superior Mural Festival will take place in conjunction with the annual Fall Festival, which brings a variety of vendors and live music to Downtown Superior.

“Superior residents have been asking for more murals in town,” says Andrew Vaughan, chair of CAPS. “The 2026 Superior Mural Festival is the beginning of a beautiful tradition of answering that call.”

The call for artists opens May 1-31. Street Wise Arts will work with the Town of Superior to review applications and invite a diverse group of local artists to participate in the festival.

Visit superiormuralfestival.com for more information, ways to get involved, and to sponsor or donate to the Superior Mural Festival.    

About Street Wise Arts

Street Wise Arts is a 501c3 nonprofit arts organization based in Colorado. Our mission is to uplift artists and to build vibrant, resilient communities through public art projects, creative events, and hands-on education programs that beautify spaces and amplify cultural diversity and social justice. Our core values include ensuring equitable access to the arts, supporting diverse artists of all ages and skill levels, and providing opportunities for the community to participate in public art programs.

About Town of Superior

The Town of Superior is a vibrant small town of 14,000 nestled in between Boulder and Denver. With its roots in agriculture and coal mining, the four-square mile town has an ample amount of open space and number of parks, with unparalleled views of the Flatirons and Rocky Mountains. The Town recently achieved a Bird City Colorado designation in 2025 and has also been recognized as a Tree City USA for 26 years.

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Media Contact:

Michelle Ellis, michelle@ellis-comms.com, 303-324-6058

Ruth Scott, director@governorsartshow.org, 970-670-0035

Media Kit: bit.ly/GovernorsArtShowPressKit

Colorado Governor’s Art Show & Sale Introduces Governor’s Legacy Art Award for 35th Anniversary and America 250 Colorado 150

Governor Jared Polis to present the special one-time award at the Opening Night Gala on Friday, April 24, 2026

LOVELAND, Colo. (April 14, 2026) – In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary and Colorado’s 150th anniversary in 2026, the Colorado Governor’s Art Show & Sale will introduce a special, one-time honor as part of its 35th annual exhibition: the 250/150/35 Governor’s Legacy Art Award.

Presented personally by Colorado Governor Jared Polis during the show’s Opening Night Gala on Friday, April 24, 2026, the award recognizes a participating artist whose work powerfully reflects Colorado’s shared past, present, and future. The award highlights artwork that honors the state’s land, people, and cultural identity while encouraging reflection on Colorado’s evolving story.

“Art, whether drawn, painted, written, or listened to, is part of Colorado’s 150-year history, telling the stories of our communities, people, and culture. This year, at the annual Governor’s Art Show, the Governor’s Legacy Art Award will recognize an artist who successfully captures our 150-year history in Colorado, while inspiring us to dream of what our next 150 years may bring. I look forward to seeing how artists bring the spirit of Colorado to life in their work,” said Governor Polis.

The 35th Annual Governor’s Art Show & Sale, one of the largest juried fine art shows exclusively featuring Colorado artists, will run Saturday, April 25, through Saturday, June 6, 2026, at the Loveland Museum.

The exhibition will showcase 65 of Colorado’s top fine artists working across sculpture, mixed media, oil, pastel, watercolor, and acrylic, with both in-person and online sales available throughout the run of the show.

“Art has the power to tell the story of who we are as a state,” said Ruth Scott, show director of the Governor’s Art Show & Sale. “As we celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Governor’s Art Show & Sale alongside Colorado’s 150th anniversary and America’s 250th, the Governor’s Legacy Art Award recognizes an artist whose work captures the spirit, history, and evolving identity of Colorado while highlighting the important role the arts play in preserving and sharing our collective story.”

The selected artwork will demonstrate artistic excellence and a meaningful connection to Colorado’s history, heritage, and sense of place. The award reflects the goals of the America 250 Colorado 150 initiative, which encourages storytelling and reflection on the state’s past while looking toward its future.

The 250/150/35 Governor’s Legacy Art Award will be presented during the Opening Night Gala, which offers attendees the first opportunity to view the exhibition, purchase artwork, and meet the artists juried for the show. The award-winning piece will remain on display throughout the run of the show and will be available for purchase along with all exhibited works.

Presented by the Loveland and Thompson Valley Rotary Clubs in conjunction with the Loveland Museum and endorsed by the Governor of Colorado, the Governor’s Art Show & Sale is one of the largest juried fine art exhibitions to exclusively feature Colorado artists. The show is truly Art with Heart, with 100 percent of the net show proceeds supporting community nonprofit programs through the Loveland and Thompson Valley Rotary Clubs.

Tickets for the Opening Night Gala on Friday, April 24, 2026, from 5 to 8 p.m., are $100 and available for purchase on the show’s website.

Visitors can experience the exhibition in person at the Loveland Museum, 503 North Lincoln Avenue, or online at GovernorsArtShow.org. Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, and the museum is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Exhibit admission is $7 for Loveland residents, $10 for non-residents, and free for visitors 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

About the Governor’s Art Show and Sale

The Governor’s Art Show is presented by Loveland and Thompson Valley Rotary Clubs, in conjunction with the Loveland Museum and endorsed by the Governor of Colorado. The Show is truly Art With Heart, with 100% of the net show proceeds supporting community nonprofit programs through the Loveland and Thompson Valley Rotary Clubs. The Governor’s Art Show has distributed more than $4 million to Colorado artists, nonprofits, and art scholarships, and distributed more than $150,000 to the Thompson Education Foundation’s (TEF) Fund for Unhoused Youth. The goal of TEF is to ensure education stability and success by providing support and assistance to students and families in homeless situations. To find more information on Governor’s Arts Show events, visit GovernorsArtShow.org.

About the America 250 – Colorado 150 Commemoration

The America 250 – Colorado 150 Commission is leading Colorado’s commemoration of 150 years of statehood and 250 years of American independence in 2026. Established by Governor Jared Polis and the Colorado General Assembly, the Commission brings together leaders from across the state to guide this historic milestone. Through its campaign, “The View From Here,” the Commission invites all Coloradans to reflect on our shared history and imagine the future, recognizing Colorado’s unique legacy as the only state founded on the nation’s 100th birthday in 1876. Working alongside state agencies, regional Advisory Panels, and local communities, the Commission will showcase signature initiatives, educational programs, exhibits, and community-led events to inspire engagement statewide. For more information and ways to get involved, visit Am250CO150.org.

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Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

“We’re Not Garbage” Trash Fashion Show Fundraiser to Benefit Loveland Community Kitchen on December 14th

Loveland, CO — The DSAFC Loveland Branch presents “We’re Not Garbage,” a Trash Fashion Show Fundraiser taking place on December 14th at The Love Shack, located at 120 E 4th St, Loveland, CO 80537.

This one-of-a-kind event invites the community to experience a night of creativity, perspective, and purpose. Northern Colorado artists and designers will showcase fashion pieces crafted from recycled or discarded materials—beautiful works of art created from items often overlooked or thrown away.

The evening also includes a Craft and Bake Sale with a special Auction, offering handmade goods and treats with all proceeds supporting the Loveland Community Kitchen.

Attendees will hear personal stories from artists and community members as the event raises funds for the Loveland Community Kitchen, which provides meals and support for food-insecure community members in Loveland.

A recommended $10 donation is encouraged for entry (but guests are welcome to pay what they can). Donations can also be made online at: https://www.lovelandcommunitykitchen.org/donate

Doors open at 6:00 PM, and the show begins at 6:30 PM

Contact: Elizabeth Falkenberg

(678) 378-1051

dsafortcollins@gmail.com

The post “We’re Not Garbage” Trash Fashion Show in Loveland appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The post Core Art Space – “Fiber Art: Embracing the Craft” and “of Women, by Women” appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Editor’s Note: Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 12th, 2025

Broomfield, CO- Broomfield’s art scene is about to get a thrilling upgrade at Buku Gallery, an unconventional new pop-up art gallery space in Broomfield, Colorado. The gallery’s newest exhibit, Rekindled Spaces, brings together eight accomplished Colorado artists whose diverse works span painting, sculpture, photography, and more—each piece offering a fresh way to see and feel the world. Buku Gallery offers an unforgettable opening night and invites Broomfield residents to be among the first to experience this vibrant new artistic hotspot right in the heart of Broomfield. Buku Gallery offers artists space to rent for shows and exhibits.

Rekindled Spaces showcases eight Colorado artists—Mike Andrews, Missy Borden, Elissa Quist, Parker Rice, Lydia Riegle, Camie Rigirozzi, Eric Wall, and Mary Williams—in a dynamic blend of contemporary painting, sculpture, photography, and mixed media. Highlights include steel sculptures exploring depth, abstract paintings layered with meaning, vivid oil works framing joy as rebellion, and hand-cut weavings that blur the line between 2D and 3D. Together, these works create a visually rich and thought-provoking exhibition that dares viewers to revisit forgotten dreams and breathe life into the hidden rooms of the soul we’ve long abandoned.

Missy Borden’s layered abstract paintings blend spontaneity with intention, inviting a dialogue between the known and then unknown.

Parker Rice utilizes a strong focus on light, subject, and composition to create a powerful visual narrative within his photographs.

Lydia Riegle creates highly charged and complex work of which is a cross-pollination of abstract painting and printmaking, illustrating the rich and often complex concepts of connection and back-stories.

Elissa Quist’s textured and saturated oil paintings feature oppressive structures destabilized by bursts of vibrant organic forms, reflecting on joy as an act of rebellion.

Camie Rigirozzi, a long time Broomfield Artist, creates dynamic mixed media paintings anchored in an expressive use of mark making, line and color, prompting reflection on the boundless range of emotions.

Eric Wall’s innovative hand-cut weaving technique expands the traditional boundaries of painting, blurring the lines between 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional art forms and challenges viewers to reconsider the possibilities of the medium.

Mike Andrews’ innovative sculptures, constructed from steel, investigate the relationship between depth and texture.

Mary William’s work is inspired by her surroundings, but rather than replicating nature, she uses it as a launching point where a fusion of technique and a celebration of form and color come together to create vibrant sculptures that enrich public spaces.

Buku Gallery is a pop up gallery rental space situated within Missy Borden Art Studio in Broomfield, CO. The gallery boasts 1500 linear inches of wall space. Contact Missy Borden at mgborden@gmail.com for more information.

Where:

Buku Gallery

2400 Industrial Lane, Suite 2700B

Broomfield, CO 80020

When:

Show Runs: September 12 – October 4, 2025

Opening Reception: Friday, September 12, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Last Look: Thursday, October 2, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Gallery Hours: Monday – Wednesdays, 10am-2:30pm, Friday and Saturday by appointment

Free and open to the public!

www.missyborden.com/bukugallery

For more information, please contact Missy Borden at mgborden@gmail.com or 970-846-6556

The post Broomfield’s Buku Gallery Unveils New “Rekindled Spaces” Exhibit appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Upon entering the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, you are welcomed in warmly by “I am worthy of tending,” written on the wall. Divine Rest Nests: An Invitation, running from May 22nd to September 1st of this year, lives up to its name, and offers even more once experienced. The guest curator, Cristina Aguilar, says this exhibit is a continuation of last year’s exhibit, Sacred & Soft Landing/Soñar y Descansar. Plans for the current exhibit began long before the U.S. federal election results, which only exacerbated the indispensability of the collectives’ black, brown, indigenous, trans, and queer artists’ messages. You may have heard the phrase “Rest as Resistance” as coined by the founder of the Nap Ministry Tricia Hersey, and wondered how to take the concept out of the theoretical, into the substantial. You may have asked how a bubble bath can create social change, and  how rest is even possible when the political climate is so relentlessly urgent. Each of the artists featured tackle these questions head-on, transforming them into embodied, immersive spaces where rest becomes both a refuge and a form of defiance.

Cal Duran, a two-spirit mixed-heritage artist from Colorado, looks to his ancestors and teachers, past and present, to construct his rest nest. Curtained with beads and bells, the vibrant, patterned room is crowned by a large papier mache heart, retrieved from its co-creator in Santa Fe. Duran reminds us with his nest, weaved with the teachings of White Spider and elaborate ojos de dios watching over, that the heart is at the center of our beings and that, “The heart travels.” 

Lilian Lara, a garment artist, glows in a sea-glass-looking castle, which is actually made out of organza fabric. It’s her largest project to date, taking over 300 hours to sew, and it evokes dreamscapes where place, time, and familiarity blur into something both inextricable and interchangeable. Lara says, “Dreams let us fail in ways that we never would have in reality,” and shares that the two large doorways through her nest are meant not only for wheelchair accessibility, but also for those who struggle with the concept of rest and may need a way to gently step away.

Lares Feliciano, a collage and animation artist, washes you in nostalgia with her interactive nest: a day-bed framed by twinkle lights laid before a TV playing 80’s and 90’s infomercials, surrounded by boxes of toys that invite the guests’ inner children to play and find rest they may not have been afforded in childhood. 

Samantha Hutchinson-Ouranos, who goes by Sammiotzi, is a Mexican-American mother and graphic designer who answers the questions “What keeps you from resting” and “what helps you rest.” The translucent curtain panels leading into her piece have scrawled on them reasons for unrest: white supremacy, violencia, ecological collapse and more. Once having acknowledged the very real restrictions to rest many of us face everyday, Hutchinson-Ouranos invites us to lay in the peaceful and weighted embrace of a nonbinary, watched over by a projection of a cosmic guardian. 

The exhibit totals seven nests, each in conversation with one another. Curator Aguilera says that “Before we even opened these doors, the show was already existing” suggesting that these seven artists’ manifestations of rest had grown outside of the gallery doors and had already begun to touchand change the world. The invitation extends to you now, to experience, to let yourself be changed by rest, and to carry that transformation into all you create in these exhausting times.

The post Rest as Art: BMoCA’s Divine Rest Nests Invites Reflection appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Editor’s Note: Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Erie Art Festival – Spring Edition Returns June 7th with 80+ Artists, Live Music, and Family Fun

ERIE, CO – Art lovers, mark your calendars! The Erie Art Festival – Spring Edition is back and more vibrant than ever. On Saturday, June 7th, from 10 AM to 3 PM, the grounds at 3280 County Road 5 will transform into a bustling celebration of creativity, community, and summer spirit — and best of all, admission is free!

Over 80 Local Artists
Discover a wide array of handmade goods crafted by more than 80 talented local artists. From fine art to jewelry, ceramics, textiles, and more — there’s something for everyone.

Live Music All Day
Get ready to groove! A full lineup of live performances will keep the festival vibe flowing from start to finish.

Food Trucks Galore
Refuel with your favorite eats from a delicious variety of local food trucks.

Family-Friendly Fun
Kids can bounce the day away in the bounce house, while adults and teens compete in classic yard games like cornhole.

This free, family-friendly event is the perfect way to kick off the summer while supporting local creatives and connecting with neighbors. Vendor booths are completely full, a testament to the overwhelming community support and the festival’s growing popularity.
About Art Circle LLC

Art Circle LLC was co-founded by Erie-based artists Kristi Arzola and Peter Buwalda in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. What began as a socially distanced holiday art fair in the Erie Highlands has evolved into one of the town’s most anticipated cultural celebrations. After Peter stepped away, Kristi continued the mission, eventually partnering with artist Kayla Eggemeyer to rebrand the event as the Erie Art Fest under the new Art Circle LLC banner.

Now in its fifth year, the festival continues to flourish thanks to Kristi’s leadership and the invaluable contributions of volunteers and artists. With its 2024 expansion to Soaring Heights PK-8, the Erie Art Festival reflects Art Circle’s unwavering commitment to building community through the arts.

“Art has a powerful way of bringing people together,” says Arzola. “This festival is about more than just showcasing creativity — it’s about creating space for connection, joy, and belonging.”

Join the celebration on June 7th — and don’t forget to tag your crew, bring your festival spirit, and support your local art scene! 

For more information: follow Art Circle LLC on social media (@ArtCircleLLC) or contact Kristi Arzola at ErieArtCircle@gmail.com.

The post Erie Art Festival – Spring Edition Returns June 7th with 80+ Artists, Live Music, and Family Fun | Press Release appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Virginia native Cha Cha Hertz, as she sees it, went to college on roller skates. She stole them from a roller rink years back and fit them with some skateboard wheels. Her story being the last covered in this series is almost kismet as she is a master of several artistic trades: photography to calligraphy to papermaking to painting to graphic design. At this current juncture in her artistic life, she is a metal worker who loves the art and the material. However, she didn’t always love it, and there’s a chance she might love a completely different form of art in the future. Cha Cha’s way is to forever be a student of art and life. By doing so, she gets to choose what is lesson and what is recess.

Cha Cha, the metal worker

“I like the physicalness of moving,” Cha Cha says. “That’s what draws me to metal work is the physicality. And, the fact that steel, bronze, aluminum — they’re all so permanent. They could last for hundreds of years or thousands. I like the permanence of them.”

This, of course, comes with a trade-off. Working metal can be grueling on the body, but when Cha Cha falls in love with something, she doesn’t take half-steps.“Working with metal, you need to wear safety gear,” Cha Cha explains. “I wear steel-toed boots, leather apron, gloves — it feels like I’m suiting up for skiing. I have a face mask and mask that filters particulates, mask for when I’m spray painting, eye protection, ear protection. The metal has toxic stuff so when I’m playing with steel, for example, as opposed to bronze which uses chemical patinas, then I would spray paint and build, much like canvas.”

“It beats the crap out of me,” she continues. “The older I get, the harder it is. Using power tools for long periods of time, a lot of time you get your fingers, your hands will go almost numb. And it can cause nerve damage. The older you get — you don’t really see a lot of old blacksmiths. And there’s not many women doing it. The women have to work smarter. When I went to my very first blacksmithing conference, I met this woman who was quite impressive, and I asked her, ‘How do women do it?’ And she said, ‘We have to work smarter than the men.’ Gravity and leverage is your friend. Power hammers and forges and plasma cutters — you have every possibility open to you. I go in for like five to sometimes ten hours, and I just go until my eyes hurt.”

A different kind of journey

In this cover series, many have started in other professions and carried over into art. Cha Cha, however, wanted to be an artist from the jump: “I was always the class artist,” she remembers. “I was a military brat; art was a self-soothing thing for me. I would copy and draw and sort of document where I was. In high school, I won state, local, and national honors. I started getting my picture in the paper, and I started identifying as an artist because people would see my picture in the paper and say, ‘She’s an artist.’ I went to college on roller skates, and I graduated on roller skates. I would roller skate to all of my classes, and I did all of my photo documentation on roller skates.”

Cha Cha didn’t have any of the struggle jobs that are typical to most artist stories. No waitressing or night jobs working in power plants. Which isn’t to say that she didn’t have her own kind of struggle. On her first interview for a photojournalism gig, for example, Cha Cha told the story of how “a big fat male chauvinist pig took a hit of his cigar, blew smoke in my face, and said, ‘Honey, you’re not worth my time.’” Cha Cha recalls, “‘You’re just going to run off and get pregnant on me. I want a man who’s married and has children.’ So, I moved to Colorado because one of my friends said ‘Come to Boulder. I have a job and a place for you to live.’ I started freelancing immediately. I’ve never had a real job. I did freelance calligraphy, graphic work.”

The encounter marks a win for those who believe in the phrase, “rejection is protection,” a flashpoint through and through. If Cha Cha had been awarded the job, she would have found herself on the corporate ladder, trying to move up instead of out.  However, as a result of rejection, she came to Colorado where she was given a path to follow and a name she still claims to this day.

Cha Cha Bowties

Surprisingly, Cha Cha’s name isn’t inspired by the music of famed Cuban musical artist Tito Puente. Further, she barely knows the steps to the dance: “I know just enough to get out of the conversation doing the 1-2-3,” she says. “I had a therapy dog that I used to take to hospitals and nursing homes, and I taught him how to do the Cha-Cha with me. He would stand on his hind legs, go backwards and forwards, 1-2-3, 1-2-3.”

Instead, her paper-made “Cha Cha” bowties grew in infamy in the mid-1980s. Warhol-style pop art was slipping into the mainstream, and Cha Cha, at that time, was not in love with metal work. Instead, she was in love with paper sculpture. She started making paper appetizers at parties that people would then pin to their outfits. Bow ties were the next evolution as they were a popular fashion accessory at that time, but so was “lampooning.” An element of pop art was calling attention to the popularity of something and teasing at the fact that they were trendy — like MAD Magazine or “Weird Al” Yankovic . Normal bow ties, while appearing boxy and monotone, also have a softness of fabric to balance the look; they’re meant to be a part of the whole ensemble. The paper bow ties, however, call attention to themselves by emphasizing the boxiness to the look and sporting an off-the-wall coloring or pattern.

They became so popular, the brand name of the bow ties, Cha Cha, became a moniker she’s claimed ever since. People started referring to her as “Cha Cha” and not her given name. In a way, her art named her. “Cha Cha fit me,” she says of the name. “I have an effusive nature, and I felt like Cha Cha fit me as opposed to the other name because I don’t feel I am that name. It just sort of fit between the name and the bowties. People started calling me Cha Cha. Most people totally embrace it. Children love saying Cha Cha.”

Discomfort needed to create art

A defining moment came when she first interviewed for the Boulder Arts & Crafts Gallery, an organization of which she was a member for 35 years. She didn’t make the best first impression though, “When I went in for my first interview, I had to interview in front of 75 artists, and it was very intimidating.” She says the interview was for papermaking and she didn’t make it the first time, so she came back with something else, and would do it again and again until she made it in. Inevitably, it was her tenacity that won them over. The situation, like many others in Cha Cha’s life, had an element of discomfort, which is something that she has learned to thrive off of. “When it comes to making art,” says Cha Cha, “you should always be doing things that make you uncomfortable and embrace it because that’s what makes you grow. If you’re uncomfortable, you’ve got to find a way to get out of that. And, part of that is: I like the problem solving of making art.”

In addition to discomfort being a key element to creating her art, Cha Cha also sees the human elements that are needed to make art special as the very reason artists don’t need to fear artificial intelligence. AI is incapable of making the distinction of comfort and discomfort. The technology serves immediacy, not the complexity of the human condition. “I don’t think that AI will ever take the place of artists,” Cha Cha explains. “I think it is a tool. It depends on how you use it and also how you relate to it. People are intimidated by it because it is fast and immediate, where a lot of artwork is a process that is not fast and immediate, and you have to keep working on it to get the effect that you need. I think it will replace some things, but you know, nothing is permanent. Everything changes, and if you see yourself saying, ‘Well, I remember,’ then you sound like an old fart. You got to embrace change because that’s the only constant in the world. If you don’t, you’re screwed.”

How life is art

For Cha Cha, everything she does feeds her art. It’s all connected.  She’s big into kayaking, for instance, and much of the art in her studio is inspired by the nature she sees, like the painted sticks that reminded her of snakes. The fantasy birds she makes often start with birds she’s seen while she’s afloat on the water. Further, whenever she learns a new medium, she adds that to her toolkit. As someone who is fond of culinary arts, Cha Cha likens mixing media to making a good stew. “Each medium is a different spice,” she says. “How do you explain cinnamon next to chili powder? It’s like making a stew. You try different flavors, and it all comes together in a really good stew. It’s the same with art. When you come up with a concept, and you’ve been doing art for long enough, you can draw from all those different concepts, and you can see it in your mind’s eye. And, oftentimes, I have no idea what I’m doing, and it stops talking to me. And I have to walk away, but it all eventually comes together. With abstract pieces, sometimes you’ve just got to do something silly like turn something upside down.”

Cha Cha’s fluid approach to completing her work rings appropriate. Never in the conversation did she ever mention an admiration for strictness of rules and often refers to what she does as “play” as opposed to “work.” And, even though she is in love with metal, she feels glass is going to be her next calling.

Much like choosing her name and going to college on roller skates, she makes her own rules. In other words, she embodies the art of living. As ethics professor and philosopher Pedro Tabensky puts it:

“Lives, like paintings, are composed. Lives are not well lived when they are lived, as it were, by following a given manual. Instead, skills guide our paths through a penumbra of uncertainty that always threatens to upset whatever provisional balance we might have achieved thus far. We cannot fully know in advance what sorts of surprises are looming behind the veils of darkness, but an expert in the art of living will best be equipped to integrate unforeseeable circumstances into the overall composition of her life.

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Like journalism like this? Consider becoming a sustaining supporter (and get our printed copy monthly at home.)
Democracy needs journalism more than ever. We’ve been telling the truth for 24 years. Your support helps us keep telling it for at least the next four years.

Democracy needs journalism more than ever. We’ve been telling the truth for 24 years. Your support helps us keep telling it for at least the next four years.

The post The Artists: Writing with Fire appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Engineer-turned-artist Betina Brumm, out of Longmont, loves disruption. Be it in technology or art, she admires the kinds of creations that challenge tradition. The nature of the word “disruption” brings about ideas of chaos, but the true power of ideas comes from the opportunity they create. COVID, for example, broke all our routines and set the whole world on pause. Brumm began that pause as an engineer and came out the other side an artist who is certain this is the career she wants to pursue for the rest of her life.

Abstract realism

One of the more surprising moments in my conversation with Brumm was learning she’s actually schooled as an engineer. And, while she practiced visual arts since she was a child, she didn’t go to art school, something she believes lends itself to her creative process and a strong possibility why she landed on abstract realism as a primary means of expression: “I grew into abstract realism,” Brumm recalls. “I’m not formally trained in painting, but I’ve painted all my life,” “I started painting in my early teens. I started with pastels and crayons, to portraits, and I moved to oils. The transition to artist from engineer wasn’t an easy one.”

According to the International Society of Automation, what makes a great engineer is the ability to see and focus on the smallest of details. As the ISA explains: “Engineering is by definition a detail-oriented profession, but the field of automation requires almost fanatical attention to detail. Everything matters, which is why instrument spec sheets have so many lines on them.”

While a detailed-oriented approach is great for engineering, it didn’t lend itself as well to Brumm’s artistic expression.

“I was doing very realistic portraits,” explains Brumm. I always do painting as a gift, but I found painting portraits very emotionally draining. My approach for realistic paintings is that it has to be perfect. When I made the decision to go to abstract realism, it allowed me to play with color. Very deep and deep saturated [colors]. It gives the piece uniqueness. I’m putting the subject beneath a different lens.”

The Unknown

In her painting “The Unknown,” Brumm depicts the face of an older homeless man. On the surface of this concept, we have the idea of pity and struggle. However, Brumm’s use of color hardens the image, showing the man not only has wisdom and experience but also confidence in his world view.

In addition to the color, Brumm added texture to the man’s beard, uniquely grounding the subject. Using the freedom that abstract realism provides, Brumm adds depth to the painting, creating an image that leaves a lasting impression.

The blurring of artistic boundaries

Brumm’s penchant for the arts started at a young age. Not only does she have a love for visual arts, but she also has a passion for dancing.

“It’s more about the music itself and the expression,” says Brumm explaining her love of dance. I think that, originally, dance wasn’t related to my painting. I [painted] since I was little and did portraits all the time. But, [I] do have a series that focuses on the dance and the movement. Dance is rich and deeply emotional.”

Brumm’s roots connect to Spain, so it should come as no surprise one of the first dances she learned from a young age was flamenco. She was even able to join a tango dance troupe here in Colorado. The balance of movement and structure found within ballroom dance isn’t surprising when considering Brumm’s affinity for abstract realism.

An article on Medium characterized this crossover between the arts: “Both visual and performing arts serve as powerful mediums for the expression of emotions, ideas, and narratives. Artists and performers use their chosen medium, be it paint, sculpture, dance, or theater, to convey complex feelings and thoughts, tell stories, and connect with audiences on a deep emotional level.”

Brumm is working on a series that focuses on this crossover by extending the focus to the movement of dancers. She has a piece where a woman expresses herself through hip-hop movements, and she’s currently working on another piece that’s of a flamenco dancer.

The artist’s control of AI

Brumm’s perspective on artificial intelligence is unique as she is both an engineer and an artist. The threat of AI has been ever present, as Brumm sees it, and as some of the other creators in this series have attested to, AI is just a tool to be harnessed.

Unrestrained Energy

“Well, as a former engineer who always worked with technology, I love robotics,” Brumm confesses. “I love disruption technology. I think people my age who have experienced decades know the challenge in changing technology can scare people. But, it is inevitable.”

She uses AI to make sketches when she has an idea. Then she begins to edit lines, angles, and colors. Brumm admitted that whenever she uses a prompt, the resulting sketch is never good enough. AI is the assistant to her creative process; she is the director of the process.

“AI has been among us for decades,” says Brumm. “But, now it’s in everybody’s reach. It’s a tool.”

A small survey conducted by Playform found 65% of participating artists use AI to do some initial sketches. Though the evidence is a small sample size, Brumm painted the picture of how AI can streamline the creation process and, like most labor-saving technology, is leaning toward becoming a mainstay in the artist’s creation process.

The subtle themes

As the subjects of Brumm’s work are from a variety of different locales, the ideas of migration and global citizenry, although subtle, can also be found in her choice of subject and her craftsmanship. In a piece titled, “The British Library” by Yinka Shonibare, curator Achim Borchardt-Hume explored the nuances: “Migration to me feels ‘normal.’ I am aware that I am saying this from the privileged position of having had a choice. Hardly a migration, yours, some may say. Yet, I chose to migrate. To me, not to belong feels like an open place to be in.”

As her mother is originally from Spain, having such a close connection to another country gave Brumm a unique lens. Abstract realism as a vehicle allows Brumm the space to shift borders, broaden structures, and add extra elements to her work. Portraying subjects from as far away as Tibet and as close to home as Colorado, the lines blur ever so gently, while always letting the core of humanity, the well of emotions, tell the story. Even as Brumm moves to work on a commercial line focused on elements specific to Colorado, she wants to use the physical elements of Colorado to make the pieces unique to this area.

“I’m actually taking something that is very unique to Colorado, which is the change between winter and spring, from nature. It’s something we have that is beautiful. And, to be honest I haven’t seen people paint it.”

She wanted to incorporate the texture involved in the transition from winter to spring and spoke of creating cards. Having a card infused with actual Colorado soil, rocks, or leaves sent across the globe would be a creative turn in Brumm’s artistic process while still carrying the heart of her work.

Where the heart will lead

Currently, Brumm has lots of things brewing. She has plans for shows across the world in places like Greece and, weather pending, Dubai. Brumm often does paintings for auctions that benefit charities. The details on how this will manifest are evolving, but she hopes to have something for the holidays along the lines of textured Christmas cards. What is surprising, despite near worldwide exposure, is her goal of having a local show of her work here in Colorado.

“I think that I would feel accomplished in different ways if I could show all my work in a local museum. Or in a local space where people can see it. Pearl Street, a Boulder museum, but as I said I’m not actively looking at that yet. I want to have enough [paintings]. It will come.”

Brumm stepped forward in her career as a painter with the grace of a dancer. Until her local showing in Colorado becomes a reality, she will continue her journey from Greece to Colorado, wherever she ends up, she simply wants to go with the flow.

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The post The Artists: Painting in the Dissonance appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

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The program provides funding for community members to commission mural artworks for their neighborhood from Colorado artists

BOULDER, Colo. – Creative Neighborhoods is a new program to provide resources for community members to work with a local artist to create a mural in their neighborhood that celebrates the area and encourages social cohesion. The City of Boulder will open rolling applications for the Creative Neighborhoods Mural Program beginning today, May 29. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis within 10 subcommunities (see map).

Special consideration will be given to neighborhoods that have not participated in similar programs in the past, with a focus on lower income neighborhoods, including permanently affordable designated communities and mobile home parks. To be eligible for this program, the location of the mural must be within the City of Boulder.

The Community Vitality Department’s investment in community-led arts is designed to meet the following goals:

• Add a beautiful, inspiring work of art that provides a welcoming, inclusive and family-friendly message for the betterment of the community.

• Increase opportunities for neighbors to meet and get to know each other.

• Provide community-building experiences to under-resourced neighborhoods.

• Rebuild community resilience, healing and joy through personal connections: factors which address the challenges in the wake of COVID-19.

• Employ local artists for creative recovery after the pandemic.

• Foster opportunities for the community to collaborate with a local artist.

“In addition to bringing more artwork into our city and employing local artists, Creative Neighborhoods is about building relationships and connections among community members,” said Interim Arts and Culture Manager Lauren Click. “Applicants will have to get approval of the mural design from the neighbors adjacent to the artwork location, requiring community members to work together to build something they are proud of.”

Applicants that are awarded funding for Creative Neighborhoods can choose an artist to employ from the 2024 Mural Artist Roster. Awardees are encouraged to explore grant funding for a block party through Neighborhood Services to celebrate the completion of the neighborhood artwork.

Applications will close Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Mural projects must be completed by Sept. 30, 2025. Visit the Creative Neighborhoods Mural Program webpage for more information. This program is resourced by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

The post City of Boulder opens applications for the Creative Neighborhoods Mural Program appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

I’ve long said that per capita, the Colorado music scene is as good as any in the nation. Every genre you can think of is represented by top notch talent in the Centennial State, and with each passing year, more artists bubble to the top of an already outstanding slate of performers. This year’s collection of some of my favorite albums is by no means comprehensive, nor representative of all the great music released in 2023 — but it is the best I can offer in less than 750 words. Here then, in no particular order, is a short list of some of the great albums released this year.

Future Joy

Present Peace

A lively blend of EDM, jazz sax, and pop, this album features 7 dance-friendly tracks that overflow with groove.

Listen: FutureJoyMusic.com

New Ben Franklins

Existential Dread Capricious Joy

Long time Denver alt-country darlings, the New Ben Franklins seep into a little more despair, a little more melancholy and a little more existential dread on this outing.

Listen: Spoti.fi/40ZFe7M

Manzanita Quintet

Osmosis

Recorded by Colin Bricker at Mighty Fine Studios in Denver, this jazz album features eight originals that blend startlingly well with covers of Thelonius Monk’s “Bemsha Swing” and Charlie Haden’s “Silence.” Bricker’s recording captures the live feel of a jazz club without sacrificing clarity in the slightest.

Listen: ManzanitaQuintet.Bandcamp.com

Ryan Fiegl

Out From Light

A virtuoso guitarist and educator, Ryan Fiegl’s newest release delivers a rich, lush soundscape of atmospheric lullabies that pluck any doleful strings you may have in your heart.

RyanFiegl.Bandcamp.com

N3ptune

Renaissance (The Revival)

By all accounts N3ptune’s live performances are everything you’d expect after listening to this brash, bombastic, gospel-flavored soul-meets-rock album. Not to get hyperbolic, but there’s little doubt Prince himself wouldn’t love this outing.

Listen: www.n3ptune.com

Still Gonna Bail

Riley

Though it’s only a 3-song EP, it definitely deserves attention. Billing themselves as “Music you can lose your virginity to,” might suggest you’d hear something other than pop-ska-punk, but that doesn’t make this outing any less infectious. Just make sure to stretch first.

Listen: facebook.com/StillGonnaBail

Matthew Wilburn Skinner

When the Sky Falls

As someone who has never been a big fan of the banjo, I still listened to this album on repeat. Skinner’s vocals have the right amount of plaintive grit to blend with his banjo wizardry in a way that just scratches your heart with bramble weeds.

Listen: MatthewWilburnSkinner.com

The Trujillo Company

4 Arrows

This power rock trio does an outstanding job of sounding bigger than they are without resorting to too much in the way of production tricks and overdubs. Riff-heavy rock that appeals to the Nirvana fan in all of us.

Listen: Facebook.com/TheTrujilloCompany

The Ephinjis

After Hours

Fuzzy guitar-driven punk with new wave tendencies and soaring vocal harmonies, the Ephinjis’ latest outing delivers all the edge we’ve come to expect out of the Boulder-trio.

Listen: TheEphinjis.com

The Mañanas

3000

I admittedly don’t tire much of good power-pop; The Apples in Stereo remains one of my all-time favorite bands, and The Mañanas’ latest outing fits neatly in the same bin as any Apples album. Great hooks, jangly guitars and indelible songwriting make this one an instant classic I’ll be spinning for years.

Listen: TheMananasBand.com

MF Ruckus

The Front Lines of Good Times

I attended MF Ruckus’ new album release at the Bluebird in Denver last summer, and it was hands-down the hardest rock show I’d attended in years. Just in-your-face, sweaty, bombastic, thunderous rock the way it was meant to be played from a band that knows how to deliver live or on wax.

Listen: MFRuckus.com

Dear Marsha

Notes From The Tip Jar

Inescapably engaging vocal harmonies and a southern rock-tinged pop sensibility make Dear Marsha’s 5-song EP a great underscore for a summer camping trip and some time on a lazy inner tube river float.

Listen: Facebook.com/DearMarshaRocks

SOLOHAWK

Rio Grande

Earlier this year, Til Willis and Steve Schnepel drove out to Rangely, CO — a few miles from the Utah border in the northwest corner of the state — to record this hauntingly gorgeous EP at The Tank studio. The dark, lush reverb is all-natural, a result of recording live in a 7-story abandoned water tank. Wicked cool.

Listen: Solohawk.Bandcamp.com

The post Spotlight on Local Band Releases of the Year appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.