The Columbine’s Journey
2024
Steel, mixed media.
Colorado’s semi-arid, high-desert environment is home to a diverse array of wildflowers. Oftentimes, these native flowers are overshadowed by the misuse of invasive species. The Columbine’s Journey highlights the phototropic journey of Colorado’s state flower, the Columbine (Aquilegia).
In this series, a set of Columbines ascends each lamp post, growing towards the light. This journey towards the light utilizes all five lamp posts to depict stages of floral growth beginning with the gentle budding stage and progressing towards a vibrant full bloom.
Painted steel armatures create petals and buds. dyed cloth replicates the colors of native Columbine wildflowers. Suspended from the flowers’ petals, prismatic dewdrops refract light. As Columbine vines snake upwards towards the lampposts’ bulbs, visitors are brought out from the shadows of the unknown and into the light, promoting awareness and appreciation of Colorado’s natural ecosystems.
Design and Build 2024: Exploring the Luminous Shadow
Design and Build 2024- Exploring the Luminous Shadow
On View August 3, 2024 – December 6, 2024
Eight emerging artist interns came together over the summer, through our annual Design and Build Summer Internship Program, to collaboratively create several unique, site-specific installations for MOA’s Marjorie Park in only 8 weeks! Emerging artists worked under the direction of our 2043 Artist Fellow, Charles Levesque, and Resource Artist, Walter Ware, with additional assistance by Reece Bailey and Patrick Stolper.
The theme provided to the artists in 2024 was “light and shadow.” Join us for the opening reception and unveiling on August 3rd, 5-8pm to see these unique installations throughout Marjorie Park.
Emerging Artists:
Isabel Angulo
Josephine Clark
Oliver Cruz
Michael Earle
Zavier Gierisch
Katie Knudsen
August Ostrow
Christian Smith
The creation of our 2024 projects were generously supported through a facilities partnership with the University of Colorado Denver, College of Arts and Media and Metropolitan State University of Denver. Artworks were created within the sculpture fabrication studios on Auraria campus.