Monet Is Coming To Denver

by Jessica Hughes | Sep 23, 2019 | Feature Story Bottom Left

by Jessica Hughes

Big things are happening at the Denver Art Museum (DAM). With recent announcements regarding its phased re-openings of their latest renovations plus the highly anticipated Claude Monet exhibit, all eyes are on the DAM.

Opening October 21, 2019, the DAM will be the host to the most comprehensive collection of Claude Monet paintings that the United States has seen in more than two decades. Claude Monet: The Truth of Nature will feature about 120 works spanning the famed artist’s entire career, focusing on his extensive travels and intimate relationship with nature. The exhibit will examine Monet’s interest of changing environments, the reflective qualities of water, and the effects of light. Plus, the exhibit will explore his journeys to various places including the Normandy coast, London, Norway, and the Netherlands.

“Throughout his career, Monet was indefatigable in his exploration of the different moods of nature, seeking to capture the spirit of a certain place and translating its truth onto the canvas,” said Angelica Daneo, Chief Curator and Curator of European Art before 1900 at the DAM.

The exhibition will fill three distinct galleries totaling about 20,000 square feet. Featured works will include artworks from the beginning of his career with View from Rouelles, the first painting Monet exhibited in 1858 when he was 18 years old, up to his later work of The House Seen through the Roses, completed just a few months before his death. Other highlights will include Under the Poplars from a private collection and Water Lilies and Japanese Bridge from the Princeton University Art Museum.

In coordination with Museum Barberini in Postdam, Germany, the DAM will be the single U.S. venue for this exhibition from October 21, 2019 through February 2, 2020, moving to the Museum Barberini in the spring of 2020.

Beyond the DAM’s latest exhibit, other exciting announcements were recently made regarding the museum’s renovations. In June 2020 the DAM will begin its phased reopening with the reveal of the three levels of the Martin Building (formerly known as the North Building), the new Sie Welcome Center, and the Bartlit Learning and Engagement Center. To commemorate the building’s 50th anniversary, the completed renovation will be revealed at the end of 2021.

Coinciding with the first reopening phase of the DAM’s Martin Building will be the unveiling of two new dining establishments (located inside the Sie Welcome Center) set to open in June 2020, The Ponti and Café Gio. Named after the original Martin Building designer and Italian architect, Gio Ponti, both restaurants will offer two distinct spaces for museum visitors and the surrounding areas.

The Ponti brings a big name to the table with Jennifer Jasinski as the consulting chef. As a James Beard Award winner and popular Denver chef of Euclid Hall, Bistro Vendome, and others, Jasinski will develop menu concepts and have a strong influence in the selection of the restaurant’s culinary staff. Combining art and dining, The Ponti will offer a seasonal menu with locally sourced ingredients with an emphasis on vegetables, handmade pastas, plus meat and fish. The artfully designed and well-crafted restaurant will boast both indoor and outdoor dining, with its expansive outdoor terrace.

“Creativity at the Denver Art Museum won’t stop at the galleries when we begin our phased reopening. We’re delighted to present artful dining experiences to the museum visit, alongside an incredible staff with the expertise to bring our vision into reality,” said Christoph Heinrich, Frederick and Jan Mayer Director of the museum.

The other restaurant set to open, Café Gio, will be a fast-casual dining option open seven days a week during the museum business hours. Visitors will be able to enjoy both indoor and outdoor seating, as well, at the café.

For more information visit www.denverartmuseum.org or call 720-865-5000.

Eight Places To Leaf Peep In And Around Denver

by Jessica Hughes | Aug 23, 2019 | Feature Story Bottom Left

by Jessica Hughes

With the first day of fall coming up on September 23, 2019, it will be about that time again when the state of Colorado transforms into a vivid array of color, from the dense aspen groves in the high country to the fiery red sugar maples in the city of Denver.

While most think of aspens providing the front-row seat to the color show that happens every fall in Colorado, there are plenty of other trees in the Denver metro area that provide the complementary shades of red, orange, and a sprinkling of purple. As the color starts to fade in the mountains, continue the fall season with these places to leaf peep in and around Denver.

Washington Park

Washington Park’s 155 acres of manicured gardens, two lakes, shade trees, and a 2.5-mile gravel path make a classic choice for leaf peeping this fall. With over 70 varieties of trees within the park’s boundaries, a diverse color display shades visitors and offers a beautiful complement to any walk in the park.

Sloan’s Lake

Sloan’s Lake is a great place to people watch, enjoy outdoor activities, and leaf peep in the fall. Rumored to have been created by accident when a local homesteader hit an aquifer when digging a well, the lake today lures in SUPers, water-skiers, and fishers, while the 2.6-mile path brings in runners, walkers, and even roller-bladders. In the fall, colorful trees fill the park offering a picture-perfect scene with views of the Denver downtown providing the backdrop.

Drive Down University Blvd.

A simple drive or walk down University Blvd., starting just north of the 1-25 exchange up to Cherry Creek shopping district, will make you want to stop and say, “awe.” The canopy of trees that seems to encircle the street provides much-needed shade in the summer and a beautiful color display in the fall.

Highline Canal Trail

Reconnect with nature right in the middle of the city and explore the 71 miles of gravel trail that make up the Highline Canal Trail. Towering Cottonwood trees, low-lying brush and a wide variety of plants make the perfect pallet for a spectacular fall color explosion. The stretch between Orchard Road and East Belleview Avenue creates a classic fall scene with distant mountain views to complete.

City Park

What’s more iconic than a walk around Denver’s City Park on a crisp fall day? With an ideal blend of wooded areas and open lawns, City Park is home to a variety of color-changing trees, including a beautiful ash varietal, creating the perfect playground for fall. So, pack a picnic, take a stroll, and take in the fall color.

Cherry Creek Trail

From downtown Denver to Cherry Creek State Park, the 40 miles of the Cherry Creek bike trail offer plenty of colorful hues every fall. The tree-lined (mostly) paved path offers bursts of different colors at almost every turn, but the most notable sections are up near the Cherry Creek Mall and near downtown.

Platte River Trail

Extending from downtown Denver and south to Chatfield State Park, for more than 40 miles, the Platte River Trail meanders through much of Colorado’s front range. Following the Platte River, the trail provides mountain and lake views, coupled with an exceptional presentation of reds, yellows, and oranges along the way. Extend your time and continue into Waterton Canyon where the fall show continues and almost always promises a bighorn sheep sighting, or two.

University Of Denver Campus

Get your fall fix and maybe learn a thing or two with a walk through the University of Denver campus. With the bustling sidewalks back in full swing with students walking to and from class, the feel of fall is all around, from the campus’ large oak trees and maples. Set against the beautiful architecture of this prestigious campus, you can’t help but feel excited about fall in Denver.

For optimal viewing, Denver’s color show typically begins early October and can last through mid-November.