The small exhibition space is located right next to the convention center/theater district, RTD,…read morelight rail station, and is free and open to the public. It is considered an art incubator space and has rotating exhibitions that I believe change every month. The space is 700 ft.² so you'll be able to get through the exhibition pretty quickly. This location does a wonderful job of maintaining the vibrancy of Denvers art community by having a welcoming space access to the public to visit, as well as having opening receptions when new exhibitions arrive. All of the people involved with understudy are incredibly friendly and involved in the arts and culture community. The next time you're walking around in the downtown area it's worth stopping by and taking a look

This small space, tucked under the Convention Center main floor and far enough off 14th that it…read moredoesn't have street visibility, probably struggled attracting a paying tenant. So instead, it became a free public gallery that is a gem, with installations rotating periodically. It has cool stuff, great staff, and always a welcoming vibe.

Very impressed! We visited this gallery on a First Friday, and the group was mesmerized by the far…read moreout surreal art on display by an artist GILLES! Really trippy Man Ray meets Dali meets Disney/Pixar. Loved it! The art gave our group tons of discussion fodder. The quality of the art was some of the best I have found in Denver, and the proprietor was incredibly knowledgeable and took time to educate us and show us additional work that was not on display. I will be making a point to return to this studio for every show. What a gem!

I love this small, contemporary gallery. Robin Rule has an interesting point of view, and really…read moreknows her stuff. The gallery has the clean, modern interior required to display contemporary pieces so they capture all the viewer's attention. But it's a friendly place, not cold or uninviting -- you'll be greeted by one or more friendly dogs when you walk in the door.

This is nothing fancy, a typical gallery, but it has rotating exhibits and has a section where they…read moreoften display the art of the students at the nearby college/art program. They had three different types of exhibits when I visited, all modern/contemporary. It's free to enter, but I gave a donation. The staff was really kind and professional. This gallery is in the heart of the Santa Fe art district (reviewed separately). They offer a map that shows you all the nearby galleries, frame shops, vintage shops, etc. You could make a day of it.

I love going to the lectures and workshops that support the exhibitions in the main gallery. CVA is…read morealways focused on showing a new perspective and providing an amazing resource for MSU Denver students and the community. CVA is worth checking out on First Friday.

Leon began life in August 2011 as a commercial gallery, but has morphed into a nonprofit arts…read moreorganization as of July 2018. It continues to present regular art exhibitions, but also offers all sorts of intimate musical events, fashion, lectures, poetry, book launches, and use as a charming event space. The building dates to the 1890s and has served many functions including a flower shop, a yoga studio, the first location of Denver Free University, and a photography studio. It's conveniently located in the heart of the Uptown neighborhood. Parking can be a little tricky, but there is usually a spot to find within a block or two and if you've got parking karma--right in front. I'd call the art that Leon presents eclectic. Some of it I like, some I hate, but it's always thought-provoking and occasionally inspiring. Leon tries to find emerging and underrepresented artists, but also provides a space for established artists to experiment in a way that's difficult at more commercial galleries. Leon's motto is, "Outliers Change the World," and long-time director, Eric Nord, strives to do that. Leon is an interesting part of the Denver arts scene and is worth many visits.

Only ten blocks from the zoo and right by restaurant row, Leon gallery sits in a great location…read morealong Park Ave in Uptown. The location makes it an excellent stop after dinner and a day around town or before a night out at the local pubs. Walking in, you'll find a cozy gallery perfectly suited for smaller exhibitions. It's small size affords good, friendly communication between the patrons and allows for conversation with the artists. The brick walls are an idyllic backdrop for the different works of art rotating through. While it's slated as a venue for emerging artists, some are already well on their way. This venue has a great location, brings in quality local works of art, and will make for a fun evening out.

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.

D'art, I think, is the newest co-op art gallery in town and it is one of my favorites. It is just…read morecelebrating its seventh anniversary (opened August 1, 2019). The members have been carefully selected and are all accomplished artists in mid to late career. The work shown is always of extemely high quality. The facility was created for previous gallery/studio owners and D'art has made the most of it. The main gallery at the east side of the complex shows work from the 27 member artists plus the occasional outside show. The separate space in the far east corner is the East Gallery which is available for 4-week rentals and shows a variety of work. The other large gallery at the west side is the home of D'art 360, what I would call the associate members. Again, this is used for rotating shows of work by those 30 artists. The adjacent North Gallery has been used lately as a permanent display space with a sample of work by each associate artist. But wait, there's more! Go through a hallway north of the main (east) gallery, past the (nice) restrooms, and you'll find five studio spaces plus the D'art Collection, a curated, permanent gallery of the main co-op members' work. The members of this gallery are serious artists and the work shown is always original and interesting. The prices are reasonable for original work. Their openings are always worth a visit.

I have a long history with this space. My first time showing my work on First Friday at the Santa…read moreFe Arts District was here, in 2010. For that moment in my personal history, I always take the opportunity to swing through whenever I find myself down that direction for any reason. The gallery that was has long since changed hands a couple of times, yet always attracts some good shows. Over the last several months, I have found myself back at this place twice now as a destination. I haven't done that once for this gallery space in over a decade. Artist-owned and operated as a co-op in this iteration, it seems someone was taking notes. The main showroom is still in the front, with the full windows facing the intersection. There are still private, working studio spaces in the back, but the layout has been shuffled a bit. From the outside, the changes are subtle. They have fixed, open hours from Thursday through Sunday, which is a standout in comparison to other galleries in the area. What was the backdoor entrance and an empty corridor is now utilized as functional space for a satellite gallery. The main gallery and this secondary gallery have representation from co-op members. The range of work offers a wide variety of media and artistic voices. There's a smaller "featured" type gallery off the main gallery, which rotates solo shows. All in all, they've really gotten all they can out of the space, tastefully. So, if you're looking for a place that's not the cramped and crazy of First Friday, get on their mailing list or check their calendar when you're planning a night out. After all, this is the place D'ART.

William has had decades of bringing Santa Fe artists work to Denver. We are lucky to have his…read moregallery!

Havu is right by Curious, so I get a glance at many of the gallery's shows. Bill has exquisite…read moretaste. If I had a real job (rather than a super-fun one), there are 5 or 6 pieces in there I'd own. Walker Fine Arts is right across the street, Metropolis Coffee is on the corner, around the block is Accent Beauty (a Yelp favorite), Denver Pizza, Earthlings Pet Store, and Parsley organic deli. i.e., the area is a fun, off-beat destination.

The artist roster has changed a bit since Spark moved into their nifty new space across from the…read moreDenver Art Museum. My perception is that the shows over the past year have been of a more consistent, high quality. The size of the facility has also usually allowed three artists per show to be displayed. I definitely recommend a visit. The gallery is on the first floor, north side of the condo building attached to the west side of the Cultural Center Complex Garage--right around the corner from the garage's elevator lobby. It is across the plaza from the main entrance to the Denver Art Museum and across 13th Avenue from the main branch of the Denver Public Library. The most convenient place to park is that Cultural Complex Garage. The auto entrance is off 12th Avenue. Exit via the elevator in the northwest corner and you'll be just a few steps from the gallery.

Spark Gallery, located right on the corner of 9th and Santa Fe, is one of the more impressive…read moregalleries located on the Santa Fe Art Walk. It is spacious, has several smaller studios in it, and has mixed mediums. One of the things I remember especially about this gallery use of oils on Masonite by one artist, which created a very earthy abstract theme. Quite cool, but naturally pricey. Nonetheless, when I noted to my lady friend that this place was better than most of the galleries we've seen so far, she relied to me that the people in here looked exactly like the people she would see in swank-ass SF galleries: not interested in the art in the least but in networking, kissing-ass, and trying to get laid. Pretty harsh perhaps, but there was a ring of truth to this fact as I looked around. I'm not sure why I felt this way in this gallery especially, but it was there so....no 5 for you