Voelz Chandler: Rule show a display of veterans, new artists

Published January 19, 2007 at midnight

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Many people consider a group show a sort of haphazard, fill-a-slot endeavor. But assembled with an eye toward building a judicious showcase for a gallery's artists, the group exhibition not only can help define the overall aesthetic of a place but also serve as an introduction to what might be coming later in the year.

And so it goes for "Peep Show," at Rule Gallery.

Owner Robin Rule is a master at assembling group shows, whether they have a funny title or not. Partially, that's because her gallery shows some of the region's top artists; but she's also always open to inviting in emerging artists or new kids on the block.

And so "Peep" is a chronicle of artists new to Denver - or to making art at all - as well as some veterans in the arena. And one, on this occasion, who burned bright in the 1990s, then moved out of town, but then moved back and went into framing. Now, apparently, he is making art again.

That would be William Stockman, whose talent at making marks on canvas or paper appeared boundless, and who had an eye for the decisive moment in terms of whatever the narrative was in play.

In this instance, he is represented by two paintings, the block-faced Bully, which is augmented by simple symbolism, and the evocative Parade, in which a figure is suggested, but the title really brought to life by a row of disembodied legs. In both cases, Stockman uses a bold blue wash or form as an element strong enough to balance the black marks. It's good to see his work again, hanging behind the reception desk at the far end of Rule's new space on Broadway.

And this by no means is the only standout work in "Peep Show." A new painting by Dale Chisman, a hanging gilded ceramic geodesic globe by Mary Ehrin, stills from a Stacey Steers film, works on paper by Andy Libertone, a video installed in a microwave by Steven Read, a familiar painting by Clark Richert, a quintet of bronze mask plaques by Yoshitomo Saito, and two wild yarn-based pieces by Matthew Larson are just part of the show, which includes work by 21 artists.

Also represented are Joe Clower, John Crowe, Dirk De Bruycker, Wilma Fiori, Gregory Hayes, Melissa Kretschmer (now working in wood instead of glass), Maggie Michael, Pard Morrison, Margaret Neumann, Jeff Starr (the witty movie poster parody titled The Wrath of Grapes, or La Ira de uvas) and Barbara Wathke (absent from the scene here until a fall 2005 show at the much-missed Ginny Williams Gallery).

In short, "Peep Show" offers the quality of work expected from Rule, with some totally unexpected, but quite pleasant, detours along the way.

A SALUTE TO SPRING: Though "Winter Garden" at Sandy Carson Gallery has a theme - and one much appreciated when Denver is captured by single-digit temperatures - I'm going to include it in this roundup because it includes work by artists who take such different approaches to the concept of the flower.

Janet Fish, as expected, includes glass objects in her work so she can demonstrate her bravura skill at rendering reflection and translucence, while making almost lyrical flowers. Robert Kushner's numerous takes on amaryllis and other tall, stalky varieties toils in his signature mix of paint, metallic leaf and glitter, resulting in paintings and works on paper that literally shimmer and seemed filled with an inner light.

Mary Warner's spider mums are vivid, but almost a backdrop in a composition such as Little Opera, where the insects catch the eye and where this odd still life sits low on a tall canvas painted silver. Barbara Rogers offers stylized blooms, often accompanied by the intervention of stripes or a grid, just as Allison Stewart's flowers are set against an abstracted ground.

"Winter Garden" is all about painting, a good thing to contemplate in the dark of the season. It continues through Feb. 17, at Carson, 760 Santa Fe Drive. Information: 303-573- 8585.

AS AN ALTERNATIVE: The co-ops Spark Gallery and Sliding Door Gallery are now almost neighbors on Santa Fe Drive, since the latter just moved into the old Capsule Gallery space. But their current member shows are quite different.

Sliding Door is previewing its new space at 554 Santa Fe Drive, and that includes some polished work by Tracey Barnes, Bill McDonald and Eric Havelock-Bailie, along with offerings that fit the definition of co-op. The preview show ends Jan. 27, with a grand opening reception for the members' show "Fresh New Happy Happy Fun Love" set for Feb. 2. Information: 720-979- 4448.

Meanwhile, Spark, at 900 Santa Fe, demonstrates why it is the most solid co-op in the city right now, with members that may not all be veterans of the scene here, but make work as if they were. Think Roland Bernier, Annalee Schorr, Sue Simon, Robb Watt and Judith Cohn. Art to kick off a new year is up through Saturday. Information: 720-889-2200.

IN THE NEWS: The 15th annual Coors Western Art Exhibit took in $652,580 during its opening-night gala Jan. 3, about $106,000 more than last year. The show continues through Sunday, as part of the National Western Stock Show, on the third floor of the Expo Hall at 4655 Humboldt St. . . . And the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center has named Tariana Navas-Nieves its Curator of Hispanic and Native American Art, addressing the large holdings in that area in the Taylor Museum. Navas-Nieves was curator of collections of Latin American art at the Museo de las Americas here, and has been a consultant to the Denver Art Museum's New World Department.

Peep Show

• What: Group exhibition of gallery artists

• Where and when: Rule Gallery, 227 Broadway; through Jan. 27

• Information: 303-777-9473; www.rulegalley.com

Mary Voelz Chandler is the art and architecture critic. Chandlerm@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2677.

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