MID Magazine

Denver's newest publication, Modern in Denver magazine, has launched their website and it looks great. Lots of good resources for the mid-century modern/contemporary design enthusiast in Denver and beyond. I select the "Field Study" product reviews each issue, so keep an eye out for the hard copy too!

PKN Denver: Volume 5

If you are in Denver, come down to Pecha Kucha Night Volume 5 tonight at Buntport Theater. Great speakers and big announcements!

Vahakn Matossian

Vahakn Matossian is a British-Armenian designer studying at the Royal College of Art and Design. I recently came his site and love the Bear+Cart project, a mobile workshop where Vahakn creates totems for the curious passer-by based on his/her wishes and stories.

For those of you in the Denver area, that should get you inspired to work on your artifact over the long weekend for the Community Challenge: My Little Mania. Also Pecha Kucha Night Volume 4 is Tuesday at Buntport!

DCM Challenge#4: My Little Mania

For all the Denver area readers, the 4th Community Challenge for the Denver Community Museum has been announced. 'My Little Mania' asks participants to create an artifact that portrays their greatest passion - whether it be a hobby, phobia or interest - anything that has developed to an obsession. More info here.

Regular posting will resume on Monday. Happy Holidays.

Make an Artifact for 29

Dear Denver Residents,

One week left to make an artifact for the next exhibit, titled '29', at the Denver Community Museum. What were/will you be doing at age 29? Share the drawings, objects or photos that tell your story. Due at the DCM 12.12. or 12.13 from 12-5 PM.

Pop-up Denver

It's been so long since I've written I almost forgot my log-in info...sorry. Starting a museum has taken a lot more time than I thought, but so far Denver's first pop-up museum has been awesome. If you live in the area come on down this Saturday from 12-5 for a live community art event, "Pop-up Denver", as part of Denver Arts Week. Create a giant pop-up scene in the pop-up museum.

I'm going to try and get back on track with designklub next week, promise, with only two fingers crossed.

Reminder: PKN + DCM

Two quick reminders:

• Pecha Kucha Night Denver Volume 3 is tonight at Buntport Theater, 8 PM.
• The deadline for the first challenge for the Denver Community Museum has been extended - bring your globes to PKN or stop by the museum from 5-7 PM on Tuesday evening or email to make arrangements.
  

Announcements: DCM + PKN

Two quick reminders:

• Artifacts for the Denver Community Museum's first exhibit, "The Missing Map" will be accepted this Friday and Saturday, 9/26 & 9/27 at the DCM from 12- 5 PM. Bring in your globes for the show, which will open Friday, October 3rd.
• Next Monday, 9/29 is Volume 3 of Pecha Kucha Night in Denver. Another great round of presenters - get there at 8 PM!
  

Denver Community Museum

I'm happy to announce a project I've been working on for quite some time, the Denver Community Museum (DCM). Carried out in the form of a pop-up gallery, the DCM will be a temporary arts institution located in downtown Denver, CO.

Contents for the museum's monthly, rotating exhibitions will be based entirely on community submissions. Every month a new 'Community Challenge' is issued and the results will be put on display.

Submissions are now being accepted for the first Community Challenge, titled "The Missing Map". The challenge is to: create a three-dimensional globe - of any size, using any material, sharing any narrative you desire. Submissions can be turned in 9.26 or 9.27 between 12-5 PM to the DCM at 1610 Little Raven St. Suite 120.

The DCM is free both to participate in and to visit. Submissions are welcome from people of all skill levels and ages, the only requirement is that you must be a resident of the City of Denver. The museum officially opens on Friday, October 3rd - future hours will be: Thursdays, 2 - 7 PM, Fridays and Saturdays, 12 - 5 PM and by appointment.

Much more to come, but for now visit the DCM website here. I will be gone for most of the week, regular posting will resume 9/15! Start making globes.

Manifest Hope

Another great project from Denver during the Democratic National Convention. Tres Birds, a Boulder-based architectural firm, created this 18' x 70' 'Manifest Hope' beacon from reclaimed bicycle wheels. The installation sits on top of the Andenken Gallery, which is putting on a top-notch art exhibition from Aug. 25-28th to coincide with the DNC.

Dialog: City

The Democratic National Convention has descended upon Denver and with it has come a variety of great arts and cultural events. Dialog: City is one such series of site-specific works put together by artists from around the globe. While some events (RISD's 'Partly Sunny' Design showcase) were less than impressive - others, such as Minsuk Cho's 'Air Forest' were a sight to behold.

With the help of a balloon manufacturing company, Cho designed 'Air Forest' to be a temporary floating public square. Occupying almost 10,000 square feet in Denver's City Park, the pneumatic pavilion will host everything from yoga classes to plays throughout the week.

Pecha Kucha Night Denver: Volume 2

Pecha Kucha Night Denver: Volume 2 is less than two weeks away - join us on Monday, July 14th at Buntport Theater for an informal evening where local creatives share their work in rapid fire format. If all goes well (fingers crossed) I will be unveiling my own super secret project. Intrigued? Doors open at 8, $5 suggested donation, beer will be on hand.

Dan Sjogren and Chris Armijo

Denver designers Dan Sjogren and Chris Armijo had an opening last night to showcase their new furniture and lighting collections. Sjogren exhibited a simple, sophisticated dining set made from birch ply, which was created using CNC machinery. Armijo's work included 'Buoy' (constructed from 256 whiffle balls), 'Linkage' (14,000 paper clips), 'Catepillar' (70 plastic clothes hangers) along with an untitled installation made from 3,000 zip ties.

Pecha Kucha Night Denver: Volume 2

Denver's second Pecha Kucha Night is coming up fast - the next event will be Monday, July 14th (Bastille Day!) at Buntport Theater. We are looking for Denver creatives who are interested in presenting at the next event. We would like to round out the mix with some local ad agency folks, architects or graphic designers, so if you have an interesting creative project to share email us soon!

The photo above is local architect, Joe Colistra, presenting about his firm's recent work. Over 150 people attended Volume 1!

Things...

I have noticed that I get a surprisingly large number of hits for the open projects listed on the side bar, but yet no one is adding to them. The side of the Denver Art Museum still looks awful, I am still wanting to help design an amazing space here in Denver and sharing art/design from your journal is always awesome. People have written to me asking about the Denver Design Project, but the answer is no - no one has stepped up. This is just a friendly reminder all of these projects are open for contribution.

Also, I am looking for a local web designer to help me make some changes to designklub. Asking around has not gotten me very far, but I know the talent is here. If you are a designer who is looking for a side project in exchange for friendship, fun and I guess, money, please email me! design(dot)klub(at)yahoo.com

Pecha Kucha Night Vol. 1

Thanks to everyone who came out to the first Pecha Kucha Night in Denver on Friday! About 150 folks showed up to hear presentations on everything ranging from design theories to obituaries and ceramic design to one man's love of pi. The next event will be Monday, July 14th - if you are interested in sharing your creative project at the next PKN, email your name, contact info and topic idea to pechakuchadenver (at) gmail (dot) com.

Pecha Kucha Night: Denver

I am so happy to finally be able to post some information about a project Angela Schwab and I have been working on - bringing the very first Pecha Kucha Night to Denver. For those unfamiliar with the format, Pecha Kucha is basically an opportunity for creative people to share their creative projects with the world. Or at least, in this case, Denver.

The format is simple. The topic is open. Each presenter gets 20 slides, timed for 20 seconds each. Highlighting everything from professional work to personal hobbies and collections, these evenings are PowerPoint meets Variety Show and they are currently being hosted all over the globe. Started by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham in Tokyo, Pecha Kucha Night is a way for creatives of all types to share and network in a concise, exciting, rapid-fire format.

Our first Pecha Kucha Night will take place Friday, March 28th at Buntport Theater in Denver. Doors open at 8 PM, program starts at 8:20 (20:20) PM. $5 suggested donation at the door. The line-up for this first one is awesome - we'll have people talking about everything from obituaries to design theories. Whoa is right.

So come be entertained and informed...and next time sign up to do your own show and tell.

Benta Plates

This is really exciting! Angela Schwab, local Denverite and friend, just released the dinner plate she designed for Umbra. The BENTA plate has a curved edge, allowing you to push the food up onto your fork. Genius. Congratulations Angela - stay tuned for another exciting announcement today on a project Angela and I have been working on. Now go forth and buy your BENTA here.

Denver Design Guide

Denver has a lot going for it and the design community here just keeps getting better. If you plan on visiting our fair city or are just looking for some new places check out, take a look at the Denver Design Guide I put together for design*sponge.

The guide includes a listing of local stores separated by category: Modern Home, Gifts & Decor, Fashion & Accessories, Unique Finds and Coffee & Tea. I also made three mini-neighborhood tours for East Colfax, Broadway and Downtown/Platte for those of you that want to make a day of it. If you have suggestions of other great spots (yes, I know I forgot the Mercury Cafe-I do love that place) feel free to leave them below. Photo by designisfine - thanks for the city shot Celeste! And thanks to Grace for sharing Denver's design scene with her readers.

Things to do in Denver

Hold on Denver - there are so many great events coming up in the next few weeks it will make your head spin. Here is just a sampling of some of the places I'll be heading to (and you should too). Events are in calendar order - starting tonight!

• Holiday Handmade, Nov. 30th and Dec. 1st at the Capsule Events Center. An alternative craft fair with 30 vendors. Starts tonight at 6 PM. More info here.
• Titus Andronicus! The Musical! A production by Buntport Theater running November 30th through Dec. 29th. (I highly, highly recommend this show). Also at Buntport - tRUNks, an all ages bi-weekly live comic book. Next show is Sat. December 1st at 1 and 3 PM. More info on Buntport here.
• Frock Out Denver: Independent Designers Challenge. Runway Show at the Central Library, Tuesday, December 6th from 8- 9 PM. More info here.
• First Friday Openings: Friday, December 7th. These happen all over the place, but I'll be going to Consume + Create at the Plastic Chapel. Artwork by Josh Wills, co-owner of the Fabric Lab. Opening from 7-11 PM.
• Bizarre Bazaar - an alternative community craft fair with music! Saturday, December 8th from 10 AM - 6 PM at Brooks Arts Center, 1400 Williams. More info here.