For immediate release Contact: Kim Harrell 720.203.3575 August 29, 2007 Oh My! AURORA – When thinking about childhood, distinct images, events, places and people come to mind. One of the common recollections of many ‘40+ somethings’ is the film the Wizard of Oz. Flying monkeys, the Emerald City, Dorothy, Toto, the Wicked Witch, et al elicit feelings of fear to wonder. The themes, imagery and ideas presented in the film are the basis of inspiration for a new exhibition in the East End Arts District, Over the Rainbow. Contemporary art works, fine and applied, created by mostly Colorado artists express various aspects of the undercurrents in the film. From large metal sculpture to fine jewelry and eclectic fabricated clay teapots, a modern consideration of the film will be presented. Danyl Cook’s works on paper explore the concept of beauty vs. threat; Scottish jeweler Caroline Smith’s work expresses the contrasts between the mundane (black and white/Kansas) and the vibrant (Technicolor/the Emerald City) using resin. “When I talked about the possibility of doing this show, artists’ eyes lit up!” says Kim Harrell, owner of East End Applied Arts. “There are many interpretations of the film an artist can use for a whole lifetime’s worth of work; this is just a taste.” Twelve artists, who responded to a call for entry and were juried into the exhibition, have made new work exclusively for this show. Most of the artists have taken an abstract approach to their work but many of the key components familiar to anyone who has seen the movie can be spotted as well as some new takes.
Over the Rainbow opens Friday, September 14, with a public reception from 5.30 – 8 pm, at East End Applied Arts, 1556 Florence Street, Aurora, 80010. ‘Tea & Talk’ with artists in the exhibition, will be held at the gallery Saturday October 6thfrom 2-4.30 with the discussion beginning at 3pm (this event is part of Denver Arts Week; www.DenverArtsWeek.com); a closing ‘Tea & Talk’ reception will also be held October 27, 2 – 4.30, discussion at 3pm featuring Colorado artists Kimberly Macarthur Graham and Rob Watt. These events are free. Over the Rainbow continues through October 27, 2007 and is open Wednesday, noon-3 pm and Thursday through Saturday noon-5.30 pm and by appointment. You can reach the gallery at 720.203.3575 and info@eastendarts.com or by visiting the website, www.eastendarts.com for more information. |