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In this 4-week class, the foundations of learning and practice will be centered around the question of how the Impressionists captured light and color in their paintings. Students will explore how to create a sense of atmosphere with color, light and shadow, and mark-making through the study of The Honest Eye: Camille Pissarro’s Impressionism and other Impressionist works in the DAM collections. Students will learn basic watercolor techniques to guide their artistic explorations, culminating in a final painting over the course of the class session.

This 4-week introductory oil painting class is an excellent opportunity to learn about the materials and techniques of painting in the oil medium. Students will start by asking what makes oils unique and how to celebrate this beautiful and expressive medium. Students will use a variety of subjects to practice the working methods and techniques presented in class. The focus will be alla-prima painting; however, students will discover simple glazing techniques to adjust their paintings. This creative journey in oils will also include instruction in drawing with the brush, color theory and mixing, understanding the importance of judging values and using a variety of edges to give a painting added depth and interest. Oils are incredibly versatile, and the Denver Art Museum's collections will inspire students and reinforce concepts discussed in class. Students will look at representational and abstracted works to dive deeper into their personal painting journey.

Students will purchase their own materials and should expect to spend $120-$180.

In this 4-week class, students will learn a variety of watercolor techniques through practice and will experiment with the ways watercolor interacts with other media through the creation of multiple watercolor paintings. By the end of the session, students will understand the basic techniques and practices in watercolor painting and feel comfortable experimenting at home to form their own practice centered around joy and experimentation.

Students will purchase their own materials and should expect to spend $40-60.

This 4-week class will offer a well-rounded introduction to the art of crochet taught by Sadie Young, the creator of The Tangled Self, an installation at the Denver Art Museum. Class will begin with instruction on the basics of crocheting in 2D, using single crochet and double crochet, allowing students to work on a small project, such as a scarf or beanie. Later, students will expand their knowledge of 2D stitches and build a deeper understanding of different stitches with hands-on assistance. As the class progresses, students will learn more complex methods of crocheting and how to crochet in the round, perform color changes, and more! Students will also learn about the basic tools needed for crocheting as well as tips and tricks for specific tools. This class will cover the differences between yarn types and provide guidance on where to source various yarns. The instructor will introduce students to the basics of reading patterns and impart the necessary foundational knowledge and confidence to crochet simple items without a pattern. The goal of this class is for students to leave the course with the knowledge they need to continue crocheting on their own as well as leave classes with finished items to treasure forever! The class will spend time in the installation The Tangled Self, where students will learn how the instructor problem-solved specific sculptural and 2D elements inside of the installation.

In this six-week class, students will abandon the idea of working on just one painting at a time and dive into creating many at once! Students will explore the dynamic process of making multiple abstract paintings in tandem, developing a cohesive set of works while experimenting with style, texture, and color. Instruction will begin with essential acrylic painting techniques and a bite-sized introduction to color theory, followed by guided exploration of the medium. Students will learn to balance spontaneity and intention while keeping their paintings connected yet distinct. By the end of the course, students will have completed their own miniature body of work with four abstract acrylic paintings and will have gained the skills and confidence to keep creating beyond class. All skill levels are welcome; this class is perfect for curious beginners to seasoned artists looking to shake up their process.

Flow State is a 6-week abstract painting class that explores the connections between intuitive painting, mindfulness meditation, and community. Participants will learn how to combine abstract painting and drawing skills with mindfulness meditation techniques. Each class will present different ways this hybrid practice can be used to hold space for ourselves and each other. Participants will work individually and as a group using acrylic paint, pastels, paper and canvas. This class will connect to abstract works in the Denver Art Museum collection, including pieces by artists like Mark Bradford, Elaine de Kooning, Joan Mitchell, Sam Gilliam, Shinique Smith, and Sonia Gechtoff.

This all-level studio class explores the art of paper and bookmaking through the lens of Modern & Contemporary Art as well as cross-cultural traditions. Students will learn hands-on techniques in papercraft and book arts—ranging from folded and stitched book structures to sculptural paper forms—while drawing inspiration from African, Asian, Ancient American, and Latin American artistic practices.

Throughout the course, students will engage with select works from the Denver Art Museum’s Collections and exhibitions, using these as catalysts for creative exploration. By studying pattern, symbolism, and material traditions across cultures, students will discover how book arts can become a vessel for storytelling, cultural exchange, and personal expression.

The class emphasizes experimentation with media such as handmade and recycled papers, collage and mixed media. Students will leave with a series of unique artist books and paper-based projects that reflect both technical skill and imaginative interpretation.

No prior experience is required, only curiosity and a willingness to explore the possibilities of paper.

Have you ever wondered about an artworks journey before finding a home at the Denver Art Museum? Museum Friends are invited to join the provenance team for an evening of sleuthing and storytelling and learn more about the research that sheds light on an object’s origin story. As part of the program, guests will explore a selection of the museum’s collections including Western Art, Arts of Asia, European and American Art before 1900, Northwest Coast Indigenous Art, and Arts of Africa, to see firsthand how provenance work unfolds across cultures and time periods.

The evening kicks off with a relaxed reception and stunning views from the Martin Building's Summit Room terrace.

Photographer Alexey Titarenko explores the character of a city and its people, blending the reality of a moment with metaphor. By using long exposure times and darkroom techniques, he makes photographs that evoke a mood and the passage of time.

Titarenko grew up and studied photography in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg, Russia). He first made collages and photomontages commenting on the oppressive communist regime but after the fall of the Soviet Union, he shifted focus. Inspired by literature and music, he began making pictures that poetically express the feelings and the stories of the lives of people in St. Petersburg. Alexey Titarenko took this approach to photographing other cities including Venice, Italy, Havana, Cuba, and New York City, where he lives and works today.

Following this talk, there will be a book signing of the new expanded edition of The City is a Novel (2025).

This program is presented in connection with the photography exhibition What We’ve Been Up To: People, February 8 – September 29, 2026.

Photographer and educator Zora J. Murff creates pictures of people and the urban and natural environments that surround them. For some projects, he also incorporates appropriated imagery to reflect on his own experiences and to examine social and racial injustices. His work considers minimized histories, experiences of being a Black person in America, and the ways visual culture shapes and is shaped by us.

Zora J. Murff’s monograph True Colors (or, Affirmations in a Crisis) was published by Aperture in 2022 and he received a prestigious Infinity Award from the International Center for Photography in 2023. Currently, he is Assistant Professor of Photography at University of Oregon.

This program is presented in connection with the photography exhibition What We’ve Been Up To: People , February 8 – September 29, 2026.

Create & Play is an early-childhood program at the Denver Art Museum for families with children ages 0-5 (though siblings are always welcome too!). Create & Play offers a range of experiences within the museum, including time close looking at art in the galleries, artmaking, and a participatory performance.

Creativity in Practice is the DAM’s professional development for early childhood educators designed to increase their confidence in incorporating art and creativity in the classroom. This two-day institute offers 7 hours of professional development credit through Colorado Shines PDIS.

Sessions:

Teacher Art Identity: Reflecting on teacher identity in relation to art and creativity.

Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB): Introduction to TAB techniques and materials.

Art, Drama & Storytelling: Incorporating drama and storytelling with art and creativity to foster social emotional learning.

Teacher Lesson Planning with Objects and Artworks: Introduction to using objects and artworks at the museum to meet early childhood learning objectives.

Dates:

February 28th | 10am–4pm

March 1st | 10am-3pm

In-person at the DAM.

The basic benefits, including unlimited free general admission for an entire year for two named card-holders and four guests per visit, up to six total adult tickets per visit, including the cardholder(s) plus:

• Expanded reciprocal admission benefits at more than 500 museums nationwide via the Art Museum Reciprocal Network (AMRN), the Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums (ROAM), the Western Reciprocal Program, and Museum's West
• Four free admissions for every ticketed exhibition

• Advance purchase for ticketed exhibitions
• Six complimentary one-time use general admission guest passes
• 30% off coupon for one item in the Shop

Join us for our annual Día del Niño (Children's Day) festivities, a global celebration of children, with a wide variety of live music, dance performances, art making, and free general admission for everyone.

April 27 is a Free Day at the DAM. Advanced reservation is recommended, but not required.

Give to the Denver Art Museum's Annual Fund

Your 100% tax-deductible contribution supports inspiring art connections, powerful artist collaborations, community-minded programming at the Denver Art Museum. During these unprecedented times, your donation helps the museum reimagine how we connect in person and online through a series of new opportunities for visitors of all ages. Thank you for your support of the Denver Art Museum's annual fund.

Museum Friends are invited to a special evening exploring Ink & Thread: Codices and the Art of Storytelling.

The program begins with a small reception and a chance to meet members of the curatorial team. Guests will then enjoy a curator-led tour offering insights into ancient Mesoamerican codices and their influence on contemporary works by Enrique Chagoya and Eric Garcia. The tour will also highlight Leslie Tillett’s monumental tapestry and the newly gifted preparatory studies that illuminate his research process. The evening offers a focused look at how artists across time have used codices to record histories, reinterpret narratives, and communicate cultural memory.

Jaye Rhee explores how we navigate physical and virtual spaces, constructing ambiguous environments and imaginary worlds through video, photography, and performance. In her practice, Rhee engages with images and their production, reflecting the way visual culture mediates identity, memory, and perception.

Rhee has shown her work at various international venues, including the Bronx Museum of Arts, New York; Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art, South Korea; La Triennale di Milano, Italy; Mori Art Museum, Tokyo; Norton Museum of Art; Queens Museum of Art, New York; and Seoul Museum of Art.

She has participated in artist residences at Aljira Center for Contemporary Art, Changdong International Studio Program, Palais de Tokyo Workshop, and Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco; Buffalo AKG Art Museum, New York; High Museum of Art, Atlanta; Leeum Museum of Art, Seoul; and Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Rhee received a BFA in 2001 and an MFA in 2003 from School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She lives and works in New York and Seoul.

Rhee’s multi-channel video installation Voiceless Song (2025) is currently on view in the Arts of Asia Galleries on level 5 of the Martin Building.

Andrea Carlson imagines in-between spaces of dislocation and belonging, destruction and reclamation, domination and liberation. Carlson (Grand Portage Ojibwe and European settler descent) considers how the land is an embodiment of a people’s histories and memories, creating intense and deeply introspective landscapes comprising prismatic layers of color, text, flora, fauna, and cultural objects.

As an Indigenous futurist, Carlson contemplates “deep time” and cycles of the natural world, using multiple sheets of paper to suggest the movement of objects, landforms, and other characters. Her dynamic compositions reference issues of ecology, challenge colonial narratives in the US, and envision a future of long-lasting Native resilience, knowledge, and survival.

Born in 1979, Carlson earned her BA in 2003 from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis and MFA in 2005 from Minneapolis College of Art & Design. Her honors include fellowships from the Joan Mitchell Foundation and United States Artists Fellowship and awards from Artadia and Creative Capital. Carlson has had solo exhibitions at the Minneapolis Institute of Art; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; and University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor. Her work is included in permanent collections of the Denver Art Museum; Milwaukee Art Museum; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, among others. Carlson is the co-founder of the Center for Native Futures, an art space dedicated to the work of Native artists in Chicago, and lives and works in Minnesota.

Carlson joins Rory Padeken, Vicki and Kent Logan Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, in a conversation about her process, inspiration, and influences.

David Huffman creates "social abstractions," large-scale paintings combining social and political themes with inventive abstract mark-making. Influenced by progressive Black politics, Afrofuturism, Pop art, basketball, and the television shows Star Trek and Astro Boy, Huffman layers these references to reflect on the African American experience.

In his paintings, Huffman transports us to celestial realms where images of basketballs float like planetary bodies while the circuitous netting of hoop chains ground his work in the urban environment of his youth. His current work recalls NASA’s Cold War-era space race and Sun Ra’s hypnotic sonic experimentations to envision a world where Black Americans may freely prosper.

Huffman joins crystal am nelson, assistant professor of African Diasporic Visual Studies at University of Colorado, Boulder, in a conversation about his almost three-decade-long practice as an artist.

Didier William uses vivid colors and bold patterns to evoke memories of growing up in Miami as an immigrant from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Inspired by Haitian history, language, and mythology, and personal experience, William unpacks the legacies of colonialism, social resistance, and the struggle for political agency. Incorporating traditions from painting, collage, wood carving, and printmaking, he materially visualizes the intersections of identity and culture.

Powerful, faceless figures appear in William’s otherworldly, electrified landscapes. Their bodies, covered with carved eyes conscript the viewer into a flamboyant narrative made deliberately queer by refusing explicit sex and gender signifiers. “It’s a way for the figures in my paintings to return the curios gaze,” comments Williams. “Not just with their eyes, but with every square inch of their skin.”

Rendering his figures with larger-than-life anatomies, William transforms them into supernatural beings or what he calls “Titans.” His humanoid forms touch, wrestle, and embrace as they seek out tenderness, care, and belonging. They often appear to float or at least try to overcome the forces of gravity as they aim for higher realms.