Dorothy and Mel Tanner met at the Brooklyn Museum Art School, married in 1951, and began a life in…read moreart together. Dorothy focused on sculpture and Mel on painting. They continued their art practices, taught art, ran galleries, organized seminars, and traveled--finally settling in Miami in 1966. Polymethyl Methacrylate (Plexiglass/acrylic) was developed in the late 1920s, was first marketed in 1933, found many uses during WWII, and then entered civilian markets after the War. Acrylic transmits light and the Tanners began to work with this material in Miami to make light sculptures. They had discovered Plexiglass in the early 1960s in New York when working on commissions for Air Products, Raytheon, and GE. Light sculptures became their main focus and they converted their studio into a theater to combine the light sculptures with synchronized music and visuals. A critic dubbed the new art form "Lumonics" in a 1970 article. The Tanners continued to make light sculptures and, working with a team of helpers, presented the Lumonics Light and Sound Theatre at venues around the country. Mel Tanner died in 1993. Dorothy collaborated with team member, Marc Billard, on light sculptures, music, and video to enhance the Lumonics experience. Dorothy moved the team and archives to Denver in 2009. There have been many exhibits of the Lumonics light sculptures around the metro area since then. Dorothy received the Innovation Award of the [Denver] Mayor's Awards for Excellence in Arts & Culture in 2018. She died in 2020. The Lumonics School of Light Art, the Lumonics gallery, and Lumonics Immersed, the current multimedia presentation, are being maintained by the two remaining members of the Lumonics team. They are currently raising funds to preserve the 200 light sculptures, archives, and multimedia presentations at a permanent facility. I've been to quite a few of the Lumonics exhibits over the years. The light sculptures are mesmerizing and fantastic. My girlfriend and I recently signed up for the Lumonics Immersed experience. This involved a trip to the warehouse where we were given lots of time to explore the 75 sculptures on display. We then watched a short documentary about the Tanners, followed by an hour's multimedia experience orchestrated by Marc Billard. This is hard to describe, but was a fascinating use of the materials and a relaxing escape for the evening. There's lots of information on the Lumonics Web site. Check that out, sign up for a class if you're art-oriented, and definitely attend Lumonics Immersed. It's a unique experience.

The sights, sounds, history, and art were amazing to experience. I was there for a friend's event…read moreand the art using light blew my mind. Sadly the original artists have passed but the spirit is alive to this day. The best part is you can take a class to build your own art. I highly recommend this place. They were featured at Meow Wolf at one point. The full immersive experience was also a sigh and sound to be seen. It all lights up and changes colors.

I set out to integrate myself into the arts community in the Denver Metro, and I feel like this…read moreorganization can deliver! I attended a meeting after being invited by a new acquaintance. I was so inspired by the intense energy and enthusiasm of the members. After going months without creative contact, it was refreshing to be around other artists and be able to talk about art without any shame or pretense! The facility itself is very clean and well-maintained. There is ample gallery space with plenty of opportunities for artist members and volunteers to showcase their work. The website is also very comprehensive and makes it very easy to look up upcoming opportunities, past successes, and current work and contact information of the artists it supports. Kudos to 40 West Arts for taking the plunge and creating a safe space for artists in the community!

I've been bullied for two years by another teacher/artist/dancer and when she escalated at Westfax,…read moreinstead of hearing both sides or seeing evidence, they joined in the slander/libel and banned me. I've been coming to 40 west for years and been an artist through them for 2 years, I had also talked to them previously about the bully and my fear and thought they would stand with me. They took a little while to respond and said they would look into it. When I filed the lawsuit against the bully, I sent on the cover sheet and said I would be happy to provide any evidence or answer any questions. I had been clear about needing a deadline of 9/30, I though a month and half to hear anything was more than reasonable, but they just ghosted me. So now I had to file a lawsuit against them to try and be treated equitably and so I can feel safe moving forward. having to do that, when I'm already dealing with someone who is unhinged is crap.

Great art collective gallery featuring rotating local artists. Gallery, open house(s) w artists,…read moreoccasional classes & nice play to hang out in old town Lafayette.

I like the quality and variety of art they have in this gallery. They tend to have a theme for…read moreeach exhibit and many artists provide work based on the theme.

I really like how forward thinking and smart this gallery is. They are involved in conversations in…read morethe art community that are shaping the future of art. I heard a segment on public radio that really inspired me. I think they are bold, brave and paving the way to the future of art. If you want to see high quality art from a diverse body of artists working in a wide variety of mediums, this is the place for you! Their open mindedness to the possibilities in art will keep me coming back for sure!

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 :)

We were staying across the street while visiting from out of town and we stumbled upon this gallery…read moreand bar. We decided to sit down and get a drink, the lady at the bar was nice and offered to make me her red white & blue drink (it's the Fourth of July) and I went for it! It's delicious and tastes like a bomb pop. We hung out and listened to good music and were surrounded by cool art.

it often has cutting edge contemporary art and local artists and they are happy to talk about art…read morewith you

Fantastic new gallery with a fresh underground vision showing very powerful art. This is one of the…read morebest art spaces I have seen in Colorado, and I've been here since 1987. They appear to be experimenting with exhibiting art beyond the expected, which is a welcome addition to Denver's already fantastic art scene.

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.

Fantastic summer programming for older kids. My 12 year old enjoyed the one week afternoon art…read moreclass/camp more than either she or I expected. The instruction was top notch and the projects were diverse and engaging. Overall we love pARTiculars for all their community art and jewelry. It's a go-to for gifts over the holidays. The fact that it's also a community hub is icing on the cake. We're lucky to have this gem in Lafayette!

Great assortment of art at decent prices. The shop is set up really well and there is a lot to see…read more There's something for everyone - from postcards to jewelry to large oil paintings. I love to support local art, and it's great when I'd also love to have that art in my home!