It occurred to me after watching Bettie Page Reveals All — opening this Friday, January 10, at the Sie FilmCenter — that Bettie Page isn’t well known to the masses, certainly not the way I know her. I grew up with more-liberal-than-thou, hippie parents, so art involving nudity has always…
Local designer and all-around fashion industry guru Lisa Ramfjord Elstun says a one-stop design and production shop had long been the missing link in Denver’s couture scene. So it was only a matter of time before the Fashion Design Center Denver came to be. “The creation of the FDC was…
Western art sometimes gets a bad rap when it comes to the inclusion and illustration of contemporary themes. But the 2014 Coors Western Art Exhibit & Sale has been doing just that for more than two decades, with a show focusing on art depicting modern life in rural areas. While…
It’s hard to write a list of New Year’s resolutions that apply to the real world while I’m physically sitting in the altered reality known as vacation. I mean, really. I’m supposed to figure out everything I want to improve in my life — a life that entails e-mails, deadlines,…
For many, New Year’s Day is the unofficial closing of the holiday season — the last hurrah before school and work recommence. Since it’s a federal holiday, a lot of places close down, but there’s still plenty to do, and we’ve compiled a list of interactive museum exhibits, restorative yoga…
Kathleen Hanna is not a name that may be well known to the mainstream masses — but as feminist, musician, activist, zine-maker and cofounder of the riot grrrl movement, she’s been a key figure in underground culture for decades. Regularly misrepresented — and often not acknowledged at all — in…
Denver’s growth spurts often make it seem unrecognizable as my home town, but I think 2014 has a lot of good in store. In the past couple of years, I saw Smiley’s Laundromat and the mid-century-modern diner structure that housed the first Hooter’s this side of the Mississippi go the…
Wrapped in silver cellophane and flooded with Mylar balloons, the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art will take a step back in time to host NYE at the Factory: A Spectacle in Pop, Silver & Polaroid, an Andy Warhol-inspired New Year’s Eve party. The shindig is a spin on the legendary…
Flappers and fellas will be putting on the glitz tonight to celebrate the Roaring Twenties at the Thin Man’s Great Gatsby Ball. Every year, the bar converts itself into a whole new world for one night, pumping in live music, ambient lighting and vibrant decor to fit a chosen theme…
“Kurt was the only person who stuck up for me,” says musician Kathleen Hanna in The Punk Singer, a new documentary about her life and art. The Kurt in question is Kurt Cobain, a friend of the artist and an advocate for both feminism and Hanna’s work — which often…
Guys, 2013 ruled! I don’t know about you, but I fell in love, went tanning, went to Starbucks a lot, visited a porn palace in San Francisco with my family, continued my quest for landmark status of Casa Bonita and entertained the idea of writing about how Dunkin’ Donuts is…
As a cosmetologist and make-up artist for more than a decade, Amanda Hume says she’s fielded questions from customers about what, exactly, the products she was using were made of. When she represented large cosmetic companies, a quick glance at the ingredient — including many chemicals she could not identify…
Smiles for the frowners / Salutes to the uppers / Boosts for the downers / May the day be the bowl of cherriest / And to all, the Merriest! — June Christy My Westword cohort Josiah Hesse just wrote a screed about why you should boycott Christmas — and I…
While there are dozens of great markets and fairs highlighting Denver’s burgeoning artisan and craft scene during the holidays, Kalina Ross wanted more. The event planner saw a need for something other than just a place for shoppers and creators to cross paths — she wanted to see direct connections…
Colorado has a rich history, influenced by many cultures, and the Tesoro Cultural Center aims to preserve and celebrate those influences with community-based events, music and re-enactments. Tonight at the Fort Restaurant in Morrison, the organization will host its annualLas Posadas procession — a Spanish- and Mexican-themed Christmas tradition honoring…
The sweet sound of more than 300 tubas and euphoniums will fill the air today for the 39th annual TubaChristmas Concert in Skyline Park, a gathering of amateur, student and professional players from around the region. “It’s a beautiful sound; tubas don’t play the melody in a band or orchestra…
While I was resting for eight minutes naked in the public space of a tanning bed last night, I started to think about my 33-year-old life up until that point. While tanning beds don’t seem designed to be places of deep contemplation — they have a spot to plug in…
It’s easy to pass by the Mayfair Center on East 14th Avenue and Krameria Street and not take a second look. Over the past several decades, the strip mall has fallen victim to disrepair, transient tenants and a crumbling parking lot — all of which has left the space worse…
On a trip to Guatemala six years ago, then-student Connor Knutson was floored by the lack of clean water in the community where he was working. So after returning home, he started thinking of ways to solve the problem — passing ideas back and forth with friend and now-business partner…
Internationally renowned designer Geoffrey Mac began his career in fine art, working as a painter and photographer. Eventually shifting his discipline to fashion, he’s now a couturier for famous clients like Lady Gaga, Debbie Harry and Britney Spears. The New York City-based designer will be in Denver tonight showing his…
Can you spin a plate on your fingertips? Are you the best tap-dancing burlesque performer on the scene? Maybe you’ve got the ukulele chops of Tiny Tim. Whatever your strange and unusual skill, the Sounds on 29th Live Gong Show wants you. Tonight, 3 Kings Tavern will host its own…
After viewing this year’s punk-infused Met Gala celebration, makeup artist and fashion-show producer Katelyn Simkins found herself inspired. Fashion Feast is the result of the artist’s creative insights: a night of runway walks, live performances and fundraising for Colorado’s hungry. Local clothing and accessories by Rachel Marie Hurst, 50 Dresses…
