Join us First Friday Jan. 6 for the Closing Reception of our current show "Rush Before the Reaping," featuring the talents of Raymundo Muñoz, Meredith Feniak, and Michael Dowling. About RUSH BEFORE THE REAPING: As the year comes to a close and winter sets in, so comes the final harvest -- a time of urgency in reaping one’s potential rewards. Death draws near for that which is pulled, plucked, or cut, and in that time (perhaps) life is at its richest -- its value most felt. Alto Gallery’s year-ending three-artist exhibition "Rush Before the Reaping" explores this theme through new and select works by Meredith Feniak, Michael Dowling, and Raymundo Muñoz. About the Artists: Michael Dowling is a Denver native who specializes in charcoal and oil works that are classically-inspired yet definitely contemporary. Dowling studied at Il Institio de Arte - Scola Lorenzo de Medici in Florence and with various teachers throughout Tuscany. Inspired by myths and lore and how they fit into Western culture, Dowling's work is bold and easily recognizable. He is represented by Leon Gallery in Denver, G44 in Colorado Springs, Blue Azul in California, The Breath in New York, and Giovanni Rossi in Miami. Meredith Feniak is a Denver native and mostly self-taught artist specializing in botanical illustration with a strong emphasis on realism and process. Certified by Denver Botanic Gardens, Feniak is inspired by the life of plants from initial sprout to final wilt. In her newest series on display for "Rush Before the Reaping," the artist paints with pure carbon pigment and crushed mica on silk that is stretched onto hand-gilded custom frames. The results are luxurious and stunning. Raymundo Muñoz was born and raised in El Paso, TX, but has made Colorado his home since 1999. He received a B.S. in Biology at UCD and is a self-taught artist specializing in linoleum block relief printmaking and other drawing media. Raymundo is inspired by the chaos-order dynamic and how it plays out in our social interactions. In his latest series on display at Alto Gallery, the artist's detailed pen and ink drawings are composites of nature scenes and people at art gallery receptions.