Join us at Alto Gallery (1900 35th St, Suite B, Denver, CO 80216) Saturday, June 1, 12.30 pm - 2.30 pm for a closing reception and interview with exhibition artist Janelle Anderson. We are pleased to invite as Janelle's guest interviewer none other than Alicia "Bruce" Trujillo. Free event and refreshments.

ABOUT

In Anderson’s current series of paintings and drawings, Parade of Thieves Anderson delves into the intricate interplay of time, dreams, memory, and the concept of the collective through the portrayal of fragmented horses and birds. These majestic creatures are subjected to a transformative process, their bodies spliced and reassembled like pieces of a complex puzzle. This collision of reality and abstraction evokes the multi-faceted perceptions and experiences of the individual and the collective.

The juxtaposition of detailed form, vague blank space, and the splicing of figures, invites viewers to contemplate the conventional notion of linear time. Horses and birds move through space as a parade of thieves — running on stolen time through forgotten memories, recalled in flashes; spontaneous and fleeting. Anderson aims to prompt a dialogue about the fluidity of time, the way it dances through our consciousness, and the manner in which memories and dreams intertwine to shape our understanding of reality.

The figures, while retaining their individuality, are also prominently a part of a collective whole. Horses and birds in Anderson’s work act as symbols for the self and the collective, embodying a strange beauty through collage-like layering of fragmented figures that connect and overlap. This reflects the collective nature of human experience, where our individual lives play an active role in society and history, influencing and being influenced by those around us. Just as the collective memory shapes our perception of the past, these fragmented beings invite viewers to consider the extent to which individual experiences contribute to the collective consciousness.

BIO

After graduating with a BFA from Metro State University in Denver, CO in 2011, Janelle W Anderson began exhibiting layered mylar drawings influenced by existentialism, the ephemeral, dreams, and memory. These evolved into collage-style paintings where images intersect with a dream-like cadence, prompting curiosity about memory, perception of time, and physicality.

Anderson’s current focus is multi-panel works exploring the relationship between the individual and the collective, while continuing to delve into the intricacies of time, memory, dreams, and consciousness.

Anderson has received several accolades throughout her career, including the Nagel Art Thesis Award and Honorable Mention for her thesis installation at Metro State. She was a member of Denver co-op Pirate: Contemporary Art from 2011 - 2014, and completed a residency with the Firehouse Art Center in Longmont, CO in 2021.

Anderson is currently an Artist in Residence at RiNo ArtPark, in Denver, as part of the RedLine Contemporary Art Center Satellite Studio program. Her studio is located within Alto Gallery, where she will present a solo exhibition, Parade of Thieves, in May 2024. Most recently, Anderson has been awarded a large-scale, multi-panel commission for the Freudenthal Library at Trinidad State College, slated for install in July 2024.

Alicia "Bruce" Trujillo is a music professional from the occupied lands of the Arapahoe, Cheyenne and Ute peoples, in what's now called Denver, CO. Known professionally as Bruce, she has been working in music and arts organizations since 2006, with a mission to collaborate with communities who are systematically excluded, with a focus on independent and locally made music and art.

Trujillo is the founder of Manos Sagrados, a new space for live music, artist studios, and movement, by and for BIPOC, femme, 2SLGBTQ+, and disabled folks, on the infamous Colfax Avenue, in downtown Aurora. Manos Sagrados offers boutique booking, with clients including Denver Vibes Fest, Denver Health Foundation, and MCA Denver. Manos Sagrados partners with Baby Riot Management to offer whole person artist management to local and international artists. Trujillo and her team are also available for consulting work for arts and music, DEIA, and professional development.

Trujillo proudly serves on the Board of Directors for Biennial of the Americas, D3 Arts, and BirdSeed Collective; is a 2023 appointee to the Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs, and is in the inaugural Civic Center Park Community Activation Collaborative. Trujillo is a Professional Member of the Recording Academy, and serves on the Advocacy Commitee. Additionally, she hosts sessions, panels, and other live events with partners across the city, does voice work and audio production, and sometimes writes for Denver Westword, with a focus on local art.

Trujillo was born and raised in Colorado, with roots in Denver, Glenwood Springs, and Palisade. In addition to Manos Sagrados, she is a visual artist, yoga instructor, and Danzante in Westwood.