This week’s entertainment highlights in the Roaring Fork Valley
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Summer Series: Maysha Mohamedi, 12:30 p.m. Aug. 4
Join featured artist Maysha Mohamedi in a free conversation (registration required) at AndersonRanch arts center. She received her bachelor’s degree in 2002 from the University of California, San Diego, where she studied cognitive science, specializing in neuroscience. After graduating, she earned an MFA in painting from the California College of the Arts in San Francisco in 2011.
In her abstract paintings, the artist meditates on selfhood and consciousness through a singular lexicon of color, composition and mark-making. Her academic background in neuroscience is reflected in the liveliness and expansiveness of her paintings. Liberated from the constraints and dictates of the three-dimensional world, her immersive works exude a sense of freedom and illimitability. For Mohamedi, the viewer is an equal creator in this shared universe of boundless possibilities. andersonranch.org
Megan Cerminaro
Hamilton Aguiar ‘Raising the Curtain’ exhibition: Aug. 4-5
Hamilton Aguiar lives in a world that activates the senses on the Floridian coast, which inspires his work.
“I seek to dissolve the wall between the outside and inside spaces, between the exterior reality and interiority of the artist’s soul,” he writes.
His art ranges from seascapes and landscapes to florals and abstracts and sparks the human consciousness and its natural tendency toward paradox: “the struggle to balance isolation vs. connection; stillness vs. hyperactivity; vitality vs. distress,” he writes. “Taking the design principle of rhythm, my work generates a sense of awe and wonder.” Aspen Grove Fine Art. aspengrovefineart.com
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“Bright Star,” Aug. 4-6
Theatre Aspen Education presents “Bright Star” as its final education production of the summer. “Bright Star” is the culmination of its four-week training and production program for seventh through 12th graders.
“This show is really a celebration of the talent of our kids and community as a whole. We have young actors who come from everywhere, from Aspen to New Castle, kids from out of state and adult community actors — some of whom have lived in the valley for decades, some of whom are visiting for the summer. The way this beautiful script and score from Steve Martin and Edie Brickell is brought to life in the glow of Aspen Chapel makes it a magical show for the whole family,” said Vanessa Strahan, Theatre Aspen’s director of education.
The show is directed by visiting New York City director Robbie Simpson. Simpson is best known for directing the 2021 National Tour and New York City productions of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” live on stage.
Inspired by a true story, this Tony-nominated musical by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell follows two different timelines — one taking place in the 1920s, and the other in the 1940s. A soldier just returning from World War II meets Alice Murphy, a successful literary editor. While working to confront Alice’s past, they discover a life-changing secret. This Summer Youth Production is family-friendly, fun, and heartfelt. Showtimes are: 10 a.m. Aug. 4; 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Aug. 5; and 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Aug. 6. Aspen Chapel. theatreaspen.org
Madaleine Cutone
10×10 Name Unseen Silent Auction, viewing starts Aug. 5
“This is always a favorite community event,” said the Art Base’s executive director, Skye Skinner. “Our supporters love trying to guess who created these incredible works of art, and our participating artists donated extraordinary pieces for 2022.”
The public will have the opportunity to view the 10×10 Name Unseen Silent Auction until Aug. 19 and can bid online until the auction closes at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 20.
Ticket holders for the Art Base’s annual pARTy on Aug. 20 will have the last opportunity to view the work in person. Then they head to Lions Park for a catered dinner, a program about the Art Base’s educational offerings, and an annual paddle raise from 7-9 p.m. This year’s pARTy honors local artist Teresa Booth Brown as the recipient of the 2022 Melva Bucksbaum Dedication to the Arts Award. Tickets: theartbase.org
“Art is a powerful lens through which we can see ourselves and our world. Art education helps us learn how to use that lens and to share its vast potential,” said Booth Brown when asked about receiving the award.
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Plein Air Art Festival, noon to 7 p.m. Aug. 8-14
Colorado artists come to paint for five days in Snowmass’ first-ever Plein Air Art Festival. On Aug. 13-14, the public can view and purchase pieces in Snowmass Base Village. gosnowmass.com
“Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song,” 7:30 p.m. Aug. 10
This nearly two-hour documentary explores singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen through the prism of his internationally renowned hymn, “Hallelujah.” It portrays the songwriter and his times, the song’s dramatic journey from record label reject to chart-topping hit and moving testimonies from major recording artists for whom “Hallelujah” has become a personal touchstone. Approved for production by Cohen just before his 80th birthday in 2014, the film accesses a wealth of never-before-seen archival materials from the Cohen Trust, including Cohen’s personal notebooks, journals, photographs, performance footage and extremely rare audio recordings and interviews.
NOTE: For a full calendar of events, visit the calendar at aspentimes.com
Colorado high school students art on display at Carbondale Clay Center
The current exhibition at Carbondale Clay Center is a rarity, featuring artists from outside the Carbondale Clay Center network, many showcasing their work for the first time.
