9 plus one equals eclectic exhibit

By Ryan Bachman
The Metropolitan

Ten painters of various styles and approaches are sharing their works at Emmanuel Gallery in a show called ãNINE Painters + ONE,ä on display until Sept. 18.

Nine of the painters in the exhibit were invited by Aurariaâs three Fine Art departments. Community College of Denver invited Chuck Forsman of Boulder and Sandra Kaplan and Clark Richert of Denver. Metro selected two West coast artists, Richard Baker and Gillian Theobald, along with the paintings of deceased Kentucky artist William Haney.

University of Colorado at Denver chose Jim Colbert and Kristen Peterson of Boulder and John Fudge of Denver. And Denver artist (+ ONE) Cameron Jones, added by the Emmanuel Gallery, rounds out the equation for the exhibit.

Fudgeâs acrylic Itâs Only a Movie #2  centers on a conservative middle-aged woman holding a white picture border over a print of stars. Significant detail is seen in the womanâs figure. Even her wedding ring is painted.

The more interesting element of the picture is actually the picture behind the woman. The figure lays in front of a river with protruding pyramids in the background, wearing a bikini.

Another piece is Melancholia II: The True Story of the Quasi Crystal by Richert. This painting shows a woman standing in front of a window looking out over a flat terrain littered with domes formed out of trapezoids and sided with green, blue and red colored shapes.

Inside, where the woman stands, are more geometric patterns. Theyâre shaped much like the ones outside, apparently on display. One is a cube-shaped molecule model containing more shapes within it. Even the walls and floor are sequenced in trapezoidal and square patterns.

Colbertâs Memories of Dreams is set on a shaded hillside where a naked woman covers her breasts with leaves. She has long blond hair but bears a strikingly masculine face and has very male hands. Only her lack of male genitalia distinguishes her as female.

One section of the painting is cut away to another scene ÷ a pair of mounted pay binoculars overlooking a valley to a hillside, suggesting to the viewer that the binoculars are directed at the woman.

The Emmanuel Gallery is also presenting two of Haneyâs works ÷ The Wizard of Never, Never Land and Marry Off (Family Platform Trinity).

The Wizard has a sci-fi setting in which an older man is observing a small horse confined in glass. Wires and beams of light connect the subject to various devices. One of those objects of wonder, shaped like a telescope, is mounted on a tripod and points downward at the caged animal.

Haneyâs other piece is a dream like church scene in which the congregation is filled to the rafters with people. They are all dressed in contemporary fashion, contrasting with the old-style robes and head garments worn by the priests. In the very front, is a woman receiving the holy communion. Out the back window of the cathedral is an American state capitol.