Rocky Mountain Art Group

The Star-Spangled Banner O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light, What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming, Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there, O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave? FRANCIS SCOTT KEY

Over the past weekend, my family and I took a short but wonderful vacation to the Black Hills of South Dakota. It was our first trip there and it was an overall great experience. The landscape is beautiful and the chance to escape the city life and spend some time out in nature is always a plus. It is easy to see why the Lakota treasured this land and consider it sacred to their people. The mixture of cultures in this area has brought about a variety of art in which one can spend days respectfully observing and enjoying. Of course, the two main attractions in the Black Hills, are the two enormous sculptures, which thousands of people flock to see daily.  The forever popular Mt. Rushmore, with its' depiction of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln, is an American icon. The at one time lesser known but ever increasingly popular, Crazy Horse Memorial, when completed will be the largest mountain sculpture in the world.  Some say that it will become the 8th Wonder of the ...

I am back! I have been out for a while, busy with my day job and then on a vacation. I'll soon be writing about some very large scale art that I just got back from visiting.  In fact, they are two of the largest art pieces in America. Here's a hint. I took this picture of the flag below in Rapid City, SD, which is only about 30 minutes away from the pieces. Amercan Flag at Perkins Restaurant Rapid City, SD Look for a new post soon to compare and discuss these two massive works of art.

The performing arts are something that everyone should experience in person periodically if not on a regular basis. From street performers to long time stage performers, there's nothing that compares to seeing a performance live and in person. In person, you take in the experience with most all of your senses and it hopefully creates an everlasting image in your mind. Earlier this week I had the incredible opportunity to see Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band at the Paramount Theater in downtown Denver. The venue for this performance was perfect.  I had never been to the Denver Paramount Theater. It is a small classic theater from days gone by and gave a nostalgic feel for the event. It is also a smaller venue so it gives more of an up close and personal feel. The acoustics there were awesome and our view of the stage from the mezzanine level was great. The atmosphere was a plus and definitely added to the event but I must say the performance its' self was spectacular. Cl...

I might not call the act of transportation its' self an art, but some of the vehicles that were created are most definitely works of art. That's not to say that they weren't engineered and produced to accomplish the specific task of moving from one place to another.  They most definitely were, but when they were created, was there an intention of creating art? Probably not, at least in most cases. There may be a few instances in which there was original intent to create something beautiful or there was an intent to make it look nice or attractive,  but in most cases the object was to create something that could move people or things from one place to another. Once we got good at that, we then started to try and make things look pretty. This 1927 Rolls Royce was built, not only to be functional but to be beautiful as well. Over time, as these things are discontinued and no longer produced, we begin to see a beauty in them that can be considered true art. Car collecto...

On our trip to the Denver Art Museum last weekend we not only visited the "Women of Abstract Expressionism" exhibit but we also got to see "Why We Dance". This is a very interesting exhibit, which displays and explains some of the traditions of Native American Dance. The exhibit consists of videos, traditional dance costumes, paintings, music and more. This exhibit has a great combination of art from different mediums and put together with the music, we found it very relaxing. Artist: Dan Namingha Title: Hopi Eagle Dancer Date: 1995 Medium: Acrylic on canvas This is a great exhibit to go see and there is no extra charge for this one. If you have a chance, I strongly recommend checking this one out. Artist: Quah Ah Title: Buffalo and Deer Dance Date: Early 1900s  Find out more at: http://denverartmuseum.org/exhibitions/why-we-dance

The Denver Art Museum presents Women of Abstract Expressionism. Saturday we attended the member's preview of this exibition. With more than 50 works from these artists of the mid 20th century,  most everyone will find something to enjoy. The exhibition features works from the following artists:  Mary Abbott, Jay DeFeo, Perle Fine, Helen Frankenthaler, Sonia Gechtoff, Judith Godwin, Grace Hartigan, Elaine de Kooning, Lee Krasner, Joan Mitchell, Deborah Remington, and Ethel Schwabacher.  This was a terrific display of a variety of Abstract art from these women artists who at times, struggled to make their voices heard among all the popular male artists of the time. You can see some of the struggle and their voices in much of this artwork. Lee Krasner,  wife of Jackson Pollock,  had a quote displayed at the museum that kind of indicates how these women may have felt during these times. I didn't write the exact quote down but I can paraphrase what she s...

Saturday afternoon we drove up to Boulder Colorado to visit the famous and historic Pearl Street Mall. If you are looking to see a variety of art, Pearl Street is a great place to explore. There are a number of galleries located on the mall. They range from galleries with paintings, photographs and sculptures to galleries that contain hand crafted items made by local artists and craftsman. There are galleries of stones and crystals as well as shops that feature more spiritual and hippie type items. Various Galleries on Pearl Street Boulder, Colorado While we didn't get a chance to visit all of them, the ones that we did visit, had a lot to offer. Whether you are looking to purchase some fine art or just browse, most everyone will find something that they like. Most of the work is from local artists. I can't wait to go again to see some of the galleries that we didn't get a chance to visit.  One of the greatest assets Pearl Street has to offer, is that you can see a...

"A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light." Leonardo da Vinci How do you interpret this quote? To me, in the technical sense, it says that one of the most important elements to art is light. If you think about it, the way that light hits a subject will greatly affect the way that you perceive it. A skilled painter will paint a picture with a consistent light source. Showing features such as reflections, depth and color variations all based on that light source. In photography,  we know that lighting plays a major role in a photograph. It not only affects the quality but it can also change your perception and how it makes you feel. Visual arts are highly dependent on lighting and of course with no light we would never see them but could this concept also apply to other types of art such as writing or performing. In another sense, maybe it does. Writing, poetry, novels, film, music,...

I think most of us know that Memorial Day is not just about cook outs, racing and mattress sales. This is a day that we should remember and give thanks to those and their families who made the ultimate sacrafice by giving their lives to protect our freedom.  It is because of them that we are able to have cook outs,  watch races and take advantage of mattress sales. So enjoy the holiday weekend and have fun but please remember all of those who lost their lives serving our great country. I must say that these pictures do not do these memorials justice. There is nothing that compares to visiting them in person. The feelings that you experience are more than words can describe. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.   --Abraham Lincoln November 19, 1863 Gettysburg Address

The old saying,  "A picture is worth a thousand words", was originally coined in the early 1900s to say that a complex idea can be more easily explained by one picture. In that sense, I would like to believe that a good artistic photograph that makes you think and may give you inspiration is worth a million words. The two photographs below were shot and edited by a young up and coming photographer named Erica. She not only shoots beautiful photos but she edits them to give them that final touch. Erica is a local artist from the Denver area and has a knack for finding interesting subjects that will make you think. The first photo has a nice crystal clear reflective effect. In fact, if you turn this photo upside down it is hard to tell the difference. The few ripples in the water give it away but it is hard to see them. Overall it is a beautiful photo. The second photo shows us a tropical paradise in the background while bringing focus in on the tree trunk with the ...

Today I have a work of art from a young local artist. Raya, who is from the Denver area, created this piece about a month ago. It is entitled "Rome is Falling". Title : Rome is Falling Artist: Raya Medium: acrylic paint on canvas Date: April 2016 A metaphor for the fall of Rome, this piece shows the artists ability to create a piece with deep meaning. We assume Rome is the one falling over the cliff. Who is it that has pushed him over? And the others, who are helping or standing by and watching, who are they, what was their role? The color of the sky depicts something ominous happening. I love the depth of the water and the shape of the cliff. A beautiful piece that also makes you think. I look forward to seeing more impressive works by Raya.

Once again, in reference to the previous quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson,  "Every artist was first an amateur", I myself am a true amatuer. I'm not afraid to say it and I hope that, in time, I can evolve past amatuer status and claim to have some knowledge and experience in the world of art. I guess it is something we should all strive for, that is to gain knowledge and experience in things we enjoy and are interested in doing. I am an amateur writer and an amateur art enthusiast. In order to gain knowledge of the art world, I will start my journey of art education by learning about the history of art. I love history and believe it is the best place to start. As I go through this learning process, I may post some of what I learn. So be patient and bear with me if I post common everyday information that most knowledgeable art people already know. I welcome any help, comments or questions. A lot of art history will focus on traditional art such as painting, drawing,  sculp...

Made it to the Denver Art Museum or the DAM as it is sometimes referred to. If you live in or near Denver or are just visiting I highly suggest making a trip to the DAM. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to explore the two separate buildings with a total of 12 floors of art. It has more than 68,000 works from all over the world. It is a great place to take the family because kids under 18 get in free on any day. They only have to pay admission if they want to see some of the special exhibits. If you live in or near Denver it is well worth it to purchase a yearly membership. That way you can take your time and not have to rush through, trying to see everything in one day. You will also get discounts on the special exibits. I have been there many times and I always see something new that I did not notice before. As usual,  I took many pictures. You can take pictures in almost all of the DAM, so don't be shy, snap as many as your phone or camera can hold. Since I took so many,...

A quick but simple photo. I have a habit of taking pictures of American Flags in different places. It may seem like a boring everyday thing, but to me it is an inspiring symbol of our American history both good and bad and a symbol of hope and what can be accomplished by determination and exceptionalism. Above all it represents our men and women who have served our country and made the ultimate sacrafice.    I have always respected the flag but something changed for me a couple years ago when I made a trip to Washington D.C. and a visit to the Smithsonian American History Museum.  They have an awe inspiring display of the actual flag that flew over Ft. McHenry during the battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812 and inspired Francis Scott Key to write our National Anthem.         http://amhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/visit.aspx   If you ever have a chance, I strongly suggest going to see this display.  It has forever changed the w...

I'm still working on getting this site setup. Today the domain name was registered so we are officially www.rockymountainartgroup.com.    I also added a new banner above the posts which will contain qoutes, usually about art, but it could have any quote that I might find interesting.    The first quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, is fitting for starting this sight and it applies not just to art but almost anything you might start doing. It is true, we all start out as amatuers, as I am starting this site as an amateur. So please bear with me as we get this going and hopefully the content will evolve into something that is both thoughtful and intetesting.

Just want to give a quick mention to the Denver Art Museum. One of my favorite places to go. We will discuss it further and in more detail soon. www.denverartmuseum.org

Hello! This is the initial post for the Rocky Mountain Art Group. Our main goal is to talk about almost any type of art, whether it be sketching, painting, photography, music, sculpture, writing, film making, etc. We will focus on things that originate, or have to do with the Rocky Mountain and Southwestern Regions but will not be limited to only this area. We also would like to focus on new, up and coming artists and try to help them gain exposure and recognition. We are also open to talking about established artists and artistry. All in all there will not be a whole lot of limits. The goal is to simply enjoy art of all types.