I don't know if anybody ever reads these comments. Doesn't seem like it. Anyway, I hope your new…read moremove is a good one. I was very sad when Pirate split the gallery to make room for the gallery at the corner while both were still across from The Bug theater. I always thought that reed and chandler's monetary greed really finished off the original soul of Pirate. I loved the old location bescuse the neighborhood was just seedy enough to work. I loved what Pirate offered. Phil didn't have to run the gallery, it ran itself. I know times change, Sometimes for the good and then there are times for the worse. I am still very proud to carry with me that I was a member of Pirate for sixteen years. Like I said, I hope it is for the good. Richard Colvin

Pirate is one of the oldest cooperative galleries in Denver, dating back to January 1, 1980 when…read moresome recent Metro State graduates (most notably Phil Bender) felt there was no home in Denver for contemporary and avant-garde work. They launched an artist-run space in an old warehouse near 16th and Market in Lower Downtown. I recall very steep stairs. Pirate moved to the corner of 37th and Navajo in 1982, initiating the Navajo Street Art District, aided by the visionary artist/landlords Chandler Romeo and Reed Weimer. This eventually encompassed Pirate, Edge, Next, and Zip 37 galleries plus the Bug Theatre. The galleries were eventually forced out by unaffordable real estate taxes due to massive gentrification in the Lower Highlands neighborhood. Pirate relocated in 2017 to a warehouse space in Lakewood's 40 West Arts District where it continues to thrive today. Pirate has become a little more mainstream since its early avant-garde days. I still miss the quite realistic pirate ship mast that once decorated the front of the Navajo Street space (unfortunately discarded in an artistic miscommunication many years ago). The membership is much more mature than at the founding. Phil Bender is still going strong with work in many museum and commercial collections. I find the shows quite variable in quality, like any challenging art space. Some I like, some I hate, some I find inexplicable. Always an entertaining visit, though.

I have been to Core a few times for art shows, and I like the space. It's owned by local artists…read morewho trade time to show their work. It has a very nice flow inside, and it's brightly lit, spacious, and comfortable. I have enjoyed all the exhibits that I have seen here, the artists take pride not only in their work but in the space as well. If you ever have an opportunity to come here, I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Core is one of the original Denver cooperative galleries, founded in 1981, just after Pirate, and…read morefirst jammed into a space with no utilities on upper 15th Street, just behind Pirate's original location. I think that building was condemned. Core wandered among multiple locations including spaces on Larimer and Wazee Streets before landing in the Arts District on Santa Fe. Core shared the gallery space at 900 Santa Fe Drive with Spark Gallery for many years before leaving for lower rent in Lakewood around 2020/2021. Core first landed at Pasternack's Art Hub, then moved to The Hub at 40 West Arts in 2024 and now shares that space with the Lakewood Arts, Next, Edge, Kanon, and 40 West galleries plus the Anachronism art supply store. Core's membership has aged, like many of the other co-ops, and generally more mature work is being presented these days as opposed to the extreme avant-garde of Core's beginnings. Core currently has an extremely strong roster and I find most of their shows impressive. The Hub project has brought a real center to the sonewhat amorphous 40 West Arts District and Core is a key component of this critical mass. Denver's loss is Lakewood's gain and Lakewood has continued to capitalize on and encourage the arts community.

I am a regular visitor of the art district on Santa Fe and enjoy going to the art walks on 1t…read moreFridays. Niza Knoll's gallery sticks out as one of the best ones with its consistent high quality. The place looks often entirely different ever 4 weeks. The one constant is the friendly and knowledgeable owner. The themes can be very original. I remember a circus exhibition in 2011 that was really impressive. I feel this place is enhancing the Denver art scene and I am looking forward to many more exhibitions showing items or styles that I haven't seen before but which I will remember for a long time :)

Niza Knoll has lived a cosmopolitan life, ranging from Israel to Vienna, Paris, Montreal, and New…read moreYork, before moving to Denver. She is an accomplished, multidisciplinary artist, fluent in sculpture, painting, photography, printmaking, and graphic design. She has been a graphic designer, art teacher, full-time artist, docent at the Denver Art Museum, and now, gallerist. This space sat vacant for some time, across the street from her studio in the 910 Arts building. She peeked in the window and envisioned a gallery which she opened in 2008, inspired by her training as a teacher and docent. Niza knew nothing about running a business, but has managed to figure it out as one of the now oldest galleries in the Art District on Santa Fe. Niza's focus has always been on education and on creating a comfortable space for anyone to learn about art. Most shows have a conceptual basis, usually thought-provoking and entertaining. She shows a wide variety of work in many forms and with many subjects. The Mix is a cooperative section in the rear of the gallery, featuring a permanent display of the co-op members' work. Current members as of October 2026 are: Nancy Enyart, Victoria Eubanks, Mark Friday, Pat Lickly, Kristy Melodia, Aliki McCain, Paula Romero Schmitt, and Jerry Scezney. The gallery maintains a busy schedule of guest speakers, concerts, salons, collaborative projects, and unusual pairings to maintain interest. There's always something happening to attract the interest of a diverse audience.

They have very good customer service. I didn't get what I wanted but I didn't lose any moneyread more

I undertook the long drive up to Colfax to go to the opening reception (featuring a friend of a…read morefriend of mine). It was hosted at the Abend Gallery. This show runs from March 2nd through April 7th, 2012. The tagline is "1 Gallery, 2 Shows, 3 Points of View (Ann Gargotto, Jean Shom, Cheryl St. John) + Cake and Pretty Horses (Michael Dowling -- Solo Exhibition)". The Gallery is quite large and is a very nice, eclectic space. I heard that there used to be a grocery store on this location. Currently, the Gallery is set up in such a way that the main rooms are subdivided to allow focus on individual pieces and groups as your circulate through the gallery. The last room was set up as a larger, more open area. This room was devoted to "Cake and Pretty Horses". I saw some thought provoking, and emotion inducing, paintings. Some reminded me of O'Keeffe's, some were very evocative landscapes, others would not have looked out of place at the C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, MT. The pieces that I came to see were the ones by Michael Dowling. Yes, there were a ton of horse paintings. I think my sister, when she was was 11, would have been enthralled. The play of light and shadow in his work was very cool. I particular enjoyed the "Round Cakes 1" (sp) painting, which was done on the bottom of an old, round table. It almost seemed to be pulling all the ambient light into a black hole (if you will) with a small, understated, yet illuminated, cake demanding your focus and attention. Michael seems to have a wry sense of humor, when you talk to him. As part of the reception, Abend gallery was pouring red and white wines, they were offering soft drinks, and they had a yummy selection, of cheese, crackers, dips, veggies, fruit, and sweets.

Visions West is an amazing modern art gallery. They carry artists such as Ted Waddell, who just had…read morean exhibit at the DAM, Duke Beardsley, a fifth generation Coloradoan who's art is collected by the Whitney, the DAM, and the Forbes Collection, among others. The gallery does exhibits, where they typically feature one artist at a time, but are consistently rotating their collections, so their is always something new and fresh on the walls every few weeks. They have locations in Bozeman and Livingston, Montana as well, so be sure to check out their site to see what they have in their other locations if you are looking for work from a specific artist. I first became acquainted with the owners as a client in Montana and was so excited that they opened a Denver location. They are very easy people to work with and will bring art to your house so you can see it in your space with your lighting. No pretense, no pressure. Definitely check them out if you are in the market for paintings or sculpture.

Visions West is a superb art gallery. Beautiful western inspired pieces. Stained glass pieces…read more Paintings reminiscent of the wild west. Horses and Cowboys. Fabulous texture in the painting with the technique that Lauritzen uses.

Hands of Spirit is a self-described "Crystal, Mineral, and Jewelry Experience" located in the…read moremountains outside of Boulder. I fell in love with their offering of stones a few years ago at the Gem and Mineral Guild and Celebration Fairs. You'll always know Hands of Spriit's booth by the beautiful assortment of high-quality stones and jewelry, always arranged by color, and their extremely knowledgable, friendly, and helpful staff. (Ack, I'm beginning to sound more like a copy writer than a rock hound, aren't I?) I've waited for a looonnngg time to visit the Hands of Spirit gallery outside of Boulder. Living in Centennial, it's not often that I'm up that way, but when I caught news of their Open House via their Facebook page and realized that I had the time to make the drive, I immediately made plans with a close friend (and frequent client of HoS) to attend. The gallery is only a short drive into the foothills and isn't difficult to find. Be prepared to walk uphill if you can't find parking in the upper lot, and keep in mind that you'll have to remove your shoes before you enter the store. I'm not sure if it's routine, but we were also asked to hand over our handbags (which I can certainly understand.) The staff recognized my friend and welcomed me as warmly as she. They showed us where the trays were to carry our selections, and let us roam the gallery. Within 30 minutes or so, I'd amassed over $150 in stones. (Yes, I told you I'm a rock hound.) In my experience frequenting most of the metaphysical, stone-selling shops in the Denver area, Hands of Spirit sells the most unique, high quality pieces I've found. They're also a bit more expensive, but I'm happy to pay the price for quality items. Whether you are a collector, work with the energies of the stones, or both, Hands of Spirit gallery can not be missed in your search. The staff's knowledge of the properties of each stone is immense, and they are all such wonderful people. You won't be disappointed, I promise, but make sure to check their web site for hours because they are not open daily.

This place is magical! The owners are sweet hearts & are very helpful & know their sh** & if they…read moredon't they'll find out.

The NoBo (North Broadway) Art District is Boulder's only official arts district. It dates back to a…read more2009 revival of the First Fridays arts open house tradition and now encompasses more than 350 professional artists and creative businesses--mostly in the North Broadway and Lee Hill corridors. Administrative offices are at the NoBo on the Corner location which also includes work, meeting, and exhibition space. The Bus Stop gallery is a formal exhibition location while the NoBo Art Center is a more casual work, meeting, and exhibition spot. A group of 20 to 30 studios, galleries, and related businesses is open from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on the first Friday of every month. There are regular exhibits at the three NoBo gallery spaces (Art Center, Bus Stop, and On the Corner) plus the independent East Window gallery. The Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art is planning to construct a large new building plus related facilities at Broadway and Violet Avenue which will be the North Boulder Creative Campus. Construction is estimated to start in late 2027 with completion by late 2029. The Art District is actively working on the streetscape with sculptures, murals, lighting, and other installations in progress. NoBo also curates members' art in local businesses. There's a monthly podcast, a newsletter, a book with member profiles and NoBo information, a calendar of events, and a comprehensive Web site. North Broadway was an underutilized part of town only a few years ago, but is becoming a vibrant area filled with modern housing, new businesses, and a rising arts scene. It should really be impressive over the next few years.

What a fascinating conglomeration of artists of all types. There is something for every type of…read moreartistic taste and pieces at very reasonable prices. Come by for an adventure!