From June 26-Sept. 13, the Museum of Art Fort Collins will open the following exhibitions to the public: “A Celebration of Colorado” and “On the Plains” by Patrick Dunford. “A Celebration of Colorado” is juried from artists living and working in Larimer and Weld counties in Northern Colorado. Artwork media includes woodwork, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, painting, fiber art, drawing and multi-media artwork.
Juror Beth Venn reviewed 780 images and applications from 184 artists to narrow down the exhibition to 65 artists and 103 artworks. Venn is currently the executive director of the Neltje Center for Excellence in Creativity and the Arts at the University of Wyoming. Before becoming executive director of the Neltje Center, she served as the founding executive director of KinoSaito, a multidisciplinary art center and artist residency program in the lower Hudson Valley in New York. She has held curatorial positions at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Newark Museum. Venn has consulted for museums, performing art centers and public libraries on strategic planning and program development and advises community-based arts nonprofits. She also serves on the board of the Wyoming Arts Alliance. A native of northern Illinois, she received her bachelor’s degree in art history at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill. After relocating to the Northeast, Venn completed a master’s degree in art history at the University of Delaware.
“We are so pleased to host an exhibition of such creative talent from artists all across Northern Colorado and celebrate the breadth of creativity in our community,” says Lisa Hatchadoorian, executive director of the museum.
After moving with his family to Moorhead, Minnesota, a year and a half ago, Patrick Dunford found himself returning to the Great Plains region of the Red River Valley after 11 years away. Upon returning to the Plains—or the Prairies, as they are known in Canada—Dunford became newly captivated by the region’s vast expanses. Frequent travel between Moorhead and Winnipeg led Dunford to observe the agricultural structures, grain hopper railcars and open spaces lining the highways of this fertile landscape. He became especially interested in the grain elevators and sugar beet factories scattered throughout the region. Dunford began documenting these spaces through small drawings and photographs made on site, later bringing them back to the studio as source material for his oil paintings. Over time, his focus has shifted away from majestic or conventionally picturesque scenery toward overlooked and everyday spaces such as rail yards, roadside attractions, signage and agricultural factories.
Patrick Dunford was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba and completed his MFA at Concordia University in Montreal.
This exhibition is curated by Dinghy Rig, a collaborative artist-run art production and exhibition program launched by Aitor Lajarin-Encina and Marius Lehene. This exhibition is the seventh installment of a long-term collaboration with the Museum of Art Fort Collins, which is hosting the Dinghy Rig shows in what used to be the building’s safety vault room. The project benefits from the generous support of Peter D. Springberg, MD.
Support for these exhibitions and programs comes from the City of Fort Collins, Colorado Creative Industries, National Endowment for the Arts, First Western Trust, Da Vinci Sign Systems Inc., Signarama, OBC Wine Project and The Elizabeth Hotel.
Participating artists in “A Celebration of Colorado:”
- Stacy Abernathy
- Jerod Barker
- Connie Bennett
- Kathryn Bethna
- Karli Blackwood
- Gina Blickenstaff
- Cheryl Bockelmann
- Anne Bossert
- Janette Boughman
- Marjorie Braverman
- Christy Bush
- Odalis Canchola
- Anne Rose Cendak
- Kristen Champion
- Laura Cofrin
- Anna De Soto
- Clint Eccher
- Jody Elston
- Danny Feig-Sandoval
- Richard Ferguson
- Constance Fraatz
- Clay Fritz and Sande Fritz
- Kate Galloway
- Paula Harrison
- Jacob Harvey
- Claire Havenhill
- Wesley Hunget
- Carol Jeanotilla
- Halie Kastl
- Michelle Kelly
- Ron Kroutel
- Jane Lawton
- Bonnie Lebesch
- Erin Leeper
- Alexa Leinaweaver
- Paul Lippart
- James Lynxwiler
- Sally Mankus
- Donna Martinez
- Aki May
- Andrew Meade
- Dominique Montano
- Elizabeth Morisette
- Johanna Mueller
- Kimberly Lovett Noel
- Travis Northcutt
- Allie Ogg
- Sue Pauley
- Joel Reimnitz
- Michelle Ridley
- Thomas Riley
- Patty Ringer
- William Rohs
- Roxiere art
- Marisa Santangelo
- Lexie Skeen
- Karen Spotts
- Nelson Sprinkle
- Henry Stinson
- Patricia Taliaferro
- Janet Vetter
- Elizabeth Warson
- Shawn Whitney
- Jodi Wieck
