A bronze sculptor’s wabi sabi story: a tragic fall, a triumphant rising again

“Gateway,” a graceful loop of bronze, one of the pieces in Yoshitomo’s Exhibit at Denver Botanic Gardens — Photo by Scott Dressell Martin

In November, Art & Object published my piece about the bronze sculptures in Yoshitomo Saito’s exhibition titled “Of Ground and Sky” at Denver Botanic Gardens. Here’s a link to that article. I was happy to learn at the end of December that one of the sculptures, “Gateway,” a graceful loop of bronze resembling bend aspen branches, had sold. The photo I saw on Facebook, where the artist and I are friends, showed the piece perfectly installed on an ideal site at a major art collector’s home in Denver.

Yoshitomo Saito with his sculpture “Gateway,” installed the day of his tragic fall from a tree.

But shortly after, I saw a notification that Yoshi had fallen, broken his back, his femur, and had pneumonia. William Havu Gallery had launched a Go Fund Me campaign, and I made a small donation. Having recovered from serious, life-altering injuries sustained in a skiing crash about six years ago, it was the least I could do, well aware of his long road to recovery. I felt good about helping if only in a small way.

But after I closed the lid of my laptop once my contribution was confirmed, I thought, “What if I write a story?” So I did. With the help of Yoshi’s friend and gallerist and the art curator at Denver Botanic Gardens, I wrote an article for The Denver Gazette, which published my piece ahead of the paywall so it can be easily shared.

Here is a link to my article about Yoshi’s fall and his rising again.

Yoshi’s friend, fellow artist Heidi Jung, and his gallerist, Bill Havu, both mentioned to me that because his art is so expensive to create, Yoshi sometimes grinds and melts down sculptures to use the bronze for another casting. “It’s kind of a reincarnation,” said Bill Havu.

Coincidentally, I had recently listened to an audio book titled, “Ikegai,” about Japanese concepts for a purposeful life. Sculpting is Yoshi’s ikegai, and writing is my ikegai — or part of my life’s purpose, at least — and this article came together as a combination of the two. I hope the article will generate more support for the William Havu Gallery’s Yoshitomo Saito Go Fund Me campaign and will provide the artist will succor as he begins his physical therapy and begins his return journey to his studio.

Here is a link to the Go Fund Me campaign for Yoshi.

Interviewing The Lumineers

My feature published 12 January 2022 in The Denver Gazette

Sometimes, the rock stars align.

The Lumineers happen to be based in Denver, but even if they weren’t, the band would be at the top of my list of favorites. So imagine my delight at having interviewed both of the founding members: Jeremiah Fraites and Wesley Schultz.

My article about Wes is published today in The Denver Gazette with a teaser on the front page. We had an engaging conversation about writing music for The Lumineers’ fourth studio album, “Brightside,” to be released this weekend. We talked about his dad, his go-to lullaby for his son, his mother’s advice for the new record, and The Lumineers’ ritual right before going on stage. We talked about the band opening for Tom Petty and U2, playing for President Barack Obama at the White House a couple of times and other highlights of the past decade since the release of their first record.

Here’s a link to the article. (Actually, it’s an excerpt from my longer piece.)

It’s always nice when on of my articles gets a mention on page one!

Years ago, I interviewed Jeremiah Fraites for The Denver Business Journal. As fate would have it, I met Jer in our neighborhood one day while I was walking to yoga and passed him playing guitar on his balcony. Here’s a link to that article.

As for the new music, I have been listening a lot over the past month to “Brightside.” It’s rare for me to like every song on an album, yet that’s the case with “Brightside,” a record consistent with the excellence of The Lumineers — a band that helps us feel all the feels.

Here’s a link to and excerpt from my article.

A herd of sculptural horses

My article for Art & Object spotlights a sculpture by the great-granddaughter of a renowned sculptor.

AMY LAUGESEN’s artistic lineage makes her art especially interesting. As if her horse sculptures didn’t already harken to different places and eras, her family tree’s roots in sculpture lend a timelessness to her art.

The artist spoke to me about her childhood horse muse, her process and her definition of a successful sculpture in my article published by Art & Object:

Read here with no paywall or advertisements.

Denver Art Museum director and two curators trace American painting to France

Photos by Colleen Smith

Here’s a link to my article published by Art & Object with no paywall and no ads.

“Whistler to Cassatt: American Painters in France” is a pleasure to behold with about 100 beautiful paintings by a number of well known artists.

Photos by Colleen Smith

One aspect I was taken with was the use of white in the paintings, particularly the colors used to paint the white dresses of women in the paintings.    all

       

Coors Western art 2022

Researching and writing about the Coors Western Art Exhibit & Sale changed my mind about Western art and taught me that there’s a lot more to the genre than cowboys and Native Americans. The annual Coors show exhibits compelling Western art and also raises scholarship funds as part of the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado.

Here’s a link to my article published in Colorado Expression magazine.

Detail of a painting by Clyde Steadman

For my article, I interviewed a painter I admire: Clyde Steadman, whose impasto paintings demonstrate an exuberant style and a wide range of subject matter.

I also interviewed a sculptor I admire: Amy Laugesen, whose mixed-media horse sculptures captivate the imagination with texture, patina and traditions that cross time and cultures.

A “community optimist” leads in philanthropy, higher education and federal government

My feature in Colorado Expression magazine’s new issue of our new year, 2022.

Having tea with Morris Price, Jr. at the Clayton Club in Denver introduced me to one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever had the opportunity to interview: Morris Price, Jr. He’s a leader in higher education, philanthropy and our federal government.

We discussed the serious — George Floyd’s murder, gay-bashing, the “N” word — but also more lighthearted subjects — clothes, music and dogs.