Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Missed Sean Gillespie's Reception? Don't Miss the Exhibition!

 Last Friday night, we had a fantastic reception with Sean Gillespie, and he unveiled his amazing wood/mixed media sculptures.  If you missed it, don't worry.  The exhibition will be on display through April 17th.  Come by Mirada and check it out!



 

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Sean Gillespie: A Living Medium


We're incredibly excited about our first exhibition of the season which will begin with an artist reception next Friday night, the 25th. Here's all the info:

Sean Gillespie:  A Living Medium
Artist Reception & Exhibition Preview:
Friday, March 25, 2011, 6-9 pm
Exhibition:
March 26 - April 16

"People think of wood as tough and solid; but actually it's a living medium, one that moves with the seasons."  
-Sean Gillespie

Sean Gillespie uses his carving tools like a painter uses brushes. Gestures and strokes create pattern and form. The wood records the movement of his hands, and captures the moment of creation in the material. Sean gets his ideas from the people, landscapes, and even the music surrounding him. He takes the world around him and breaks it into raw graphic elements. He then captures that expression in fine and exotic hardwoods.

Sean Gillespie, From Nothing, Solid Mahogany, 36" x 36" x 3"  
Like many artists, when Sean Gillespie was growing up he spent most of his time sketching in the margins of his notebooks and textbooks.  He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of Akron and became a graphic designer, but always felt something was missing in his work.  While living in Santa Fe, NM many years later he enrolled in a woodworking class and discovered his real passion.

Sean discovered the tactile experience of designing with, shaping and manipulating wood.  He was enamored with this new, three-dimensional material and began crafting furniture.  Over the next few years of teaching and  creating commissioned work, he became more interested in the parts of the furniture he was crafting than in the final product.  Sean found that he was assembling sculptural forms and some of those forms could stand on their own as fine art.   

Sean Gillespie, Conversation,Honduran Mahogany, MDF, & Maple, 66" x 12" x 9" each



Sean takes the world around him, breaks it into raw graphic elements and captures that expression in fine and exotic hardwoods.  His work is composed using the lathe, steel, torches, pigments, hand-carving tools, and through the 'untraditional use of traditional woodworking tools.' 

Don't miss this truly remarkable exhibition...Mirada Fine Art's first of the year.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Nice to be featured by the local press!

This week, we were thrilled to be featured in Evergreen's Canyon Courier:


Art from the heart: Awards, recognition come to 
Indian Hills Gallery
By Virginia Grantier

Steve Sonnen, Owner of Mirada Fine Art

The pine trees’ white coats were melting one recent February day, and at times the drip-drip-drip seemed the only sound in Indian Hills.  Still, there was a hushed but persistent buzz in the foothills hamlet — a buzz that seems to be growing louder in the art world about a log building across the street from the Indian Hills post office.

In that place — a recently beautified, circa-1920s former general store and soda fountain — the walls are full of Cunninghams and Hudsons, Wests and Milans, Weis and Wynns. These paintings and sculptures, with values ranging from $300 to $20,000, represent about 24 artists. Some are sought-after Southwestern artists; others are Colorado artists; still others are originally from China, Argentina and England. They have paintings in respected galleries and museums around the world.

Mirada, the fine art gallery that opened in late 2009, is getting high praise from everyone, ranging from the Denver Art Museum docents who toured the gallery to recent press coverage and honors: “Best Art Gallery, 2010,” 5280 Magazine; “Best of Denver, 2010,” Westword; and “Art Lover’s Escape,” Denver Life Magazine.

All this at an off-the-beaten-path gallery miles from the big-city art districts in Cherry Creek or LoDo or along Santa Fe Boulevard — a gallery that opened when many others were going out of business.
Mirada owners Steve and Jenni Sonnen remember a lot of “good lucks” said in worried tones, coated in great reservations.

A couple of years later, the gallery of contemporary art is shipping piece after piece out of state and out of the country to private homes and corporations, Steve Sonnen said. Mirada’s artists credit his innovative and professional approach to marketing for the success — and nearby and far-away customers are responding.
“Mirada is a dream come true for us,” Jenni Sonnen said.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Introducing Mirada's Blog Dogs, Linus & Augie


The beauty of the blog is we can delve into topics best avoided on our more formal website.  And that is why we now introduce you to Linus and Augie, the Mirada 'Blog Dogs.'   For any of our Mirada regulars, you have undoubtedly met (or at least seen) these two hip canines.  One of the best things about our location is that we can bring Linus and Augie to work with us, even if they don't hang out inside the gallery during business hours (they tend to be lickers and sniffers).  Like Mirada's art, Linus and Augie are definitely one-of-a-kind.   They like to hang out behind the gallery overlooking their domain - the Mirada parking lot.   

Throughout their lives, Linus and Augie have had the privilege of being exposed to art...and they have definite opinions of what they like and what they will raise a hind leg to.  Linus has a refined palette and loves the impressionist period.   He can gaze into a Monet for hours, or at least until a hot poodle struts by.  Augie, on the other hand, savors edgier pieces.  He appreciates Edvard Munch's 'Scream' and can relate to the inner turmoil the piece so vividly portrays.

Naturally, both Linus and Augie love C.M. Coolidge's 'Dogs Playing Poker.'  A classic is a classic.


In future blogs, Linus and Augie will critique regional works of art and unique exhibits.  We think you'll find their unique perspectives and rating systems refreshing.  Since they are obviously biased when it comes to the art found at Mirada Fine Art, they'll avoid reviewing their absolute favorite artists.  Stay tuned...

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Mirada Fine Art Supports the Colorado Ballet

We're proud to support the Colorado Ballet during their 50th anniversary season.   If you see Romeo & Juliet, you'll see Mirada Fine Art in the show program. The ballet runs through March 6th.  Support Denver's art scene!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Mirada Releases their 2011 Show Schedule



We're absolutely thrilled with the fantastic exhibitions we have scheduled for 2011.   We hope you'll be able to attend as many as possible.  Here is a listing of this year's shows:

Sean Gillespie:  A living Medium
Artist Reception:  Friday, March 25, 6-9 pm
Exhibition:  March 27 - April 17

Christian Dore:  Lush Life
Artist Reception:  Friday, May 6, 6-9 pm
Exhibition:  May 7 - May 22

Bonnie Teitelbaum:  Internal Conversations
Artist Reception:  Friday, June 17, 6-9 pm
Exhibition:  June 18 - July 10

Laurie Justus Pace:  Equine Abstract
Artist Reception:  July 15, 6-9 pm
Exhibition:  July 16 - 31

Paul Cunningham & Allen Wynn:  Color & Form
Artist Reception:  Friday, August 5, 6-9 pm
Exhibition:  August 6 - 28

Arturo Mallmann & Svetlana Shalygina:  Figures
Artist Reception:  Friday, September 2, 6-9 pm
Exhibition:  September 3 - 25

Deladier Almeida:  Geometry of the Rockies
Artist Reception:  Friday, October 14, 6-9 pm
Exhibition:  October 15 - November 6

Save the dates!!!!