Where is the Art in Boulder?

Why does Boulder, Colorado have such a void in art galleries?

While Chamli Art Services is proud to support artists and galleries throughout the entire mountain west from Billings, Montana to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and all points in between, I  am based and call the greater Denver metropolitan area my home and choose to raise my family in the ‘mile high’ city. As part of my community I am most eager to do what can be done to promote local artists and the galleries representing them. I try to partner with them, and work together in order to support their clients.

When I am not on the road or working with clients in other states, I am always looking for these professional relationships locally and frequently stop by the galleries in Cherry Creek or participate in the first Friday art walks in Denver's own Santa Fe Arts District as a way of making introductions and fostering relationships with these galleries. It was in this manner that I recently found myself in Boulder, Colorado, one pleasant afternoon after making a delivery of fine art to a nearby resident who hired Chamli Art Services to bring art he had purchased from a New Mexico gallery during a recent visit he and his wife had made to the ‘Land of Enchantment.'

In taking a stroll along the Pearl Street mall I had expected to come across a few locally owned galleries. It seemed the perfect spot for such an establishment, and in similar towns, this type of well-manicured strip of retail paradise would certainly support such a gallery or two. Closed to Vehicle traffic, its pavement has been turned into a well-manicured green space with delicately maintained raised beds of digitalis and purple pansies all surrounding public fountains and even wildlife bronzes or statues depicting carefree children of a seemingly bygone era enjoying the fruits of a summer day, but for some odd reason, you won’t find a store dedicated to selling similar pieces of art and any form.

Pearl Street Mall in Boulder. Photo: Kent Kanouse

Walking along the all too familiar storefronts of Lululemon, Patagonia, and even Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream Shop, I felt there were plenty of places for me to be outfitted in the type of clothing that, if worn with the proper air of confidence, would seemingly make me appear capable of the task of climbing the towering rock monoliths, known as the “flatirons” which spontaneously jet up from Boulder Creek and define this town in every known picture of the famous University. But I could not seem to find any art galleries. It seemed strange; what was going on?

A Deeper Dive:

Where does Boulder Hide its Art?

After A brief stop on a park bench and a review of the area using Google Maps on my phone, I discovered the well-anchored SmithKline Gallery was just ahead of me and would have been easily recognized as the sort of establishment I had come here for. With its internationally known artists and predominantly large paintings, it certainly rivals the galleries you would find surrounding the plaza in Jackson Hole or amongst the fairytale cottages and bougainvillea of Carmel-by-the-Sea. But was this it? Santa Fe and Scottsdale have whole districts and streets dedicated to art galleries; Park City, Utah, only exists in the summer months because of its art sales. If ever there was a town in Colorado that should rival our neighboring states, Boulder should be a top contender! I was shocked and disappointed in the Centennial state for dropping the ball in this way.

The map on my phone’s screen did show a few nearby locations depicted by icons of a painter’s palette, all removed from this posh environment by a few blocks either north or south, but when venturing away from the brick cobbled pedestrian zone and out to the normality of the surrounding neighborhood I discover that these places were not seemingly what I had hoped. They were all converted craftsman-style homes typical of the area and were either framing studios which seemingly happened to have a few pieces of art being displayed, probably as a favor to a friend, or were obviously the living questers of an artist or rented studio and displayed a handwritten faded sign taped to the inside of the window stating the establishment was  “Closed, open by appointment only” 

I guess the third time's the charm because before, I gave up and wrote Boulder off as a complete waste of my time, and I happened across Ana’s Art Gallery, a Black, female-owned studio space primarily featuring local artists of color or of marginalized minorities. This was exactly the type of Gallery I expected to find in Boulder. But why did it take me so long?

Here’s the scoop:

Boulder has sold out!!

Unfortunately, Ana wasn't there during my visit, but the gentleman, who greeted me and introduced himself as Michael, stated he was a friend of hers and was nice enough to lend me his thoughts on my perceived current lack of art in Boulder. He agreed that while Pearl Street and the surrounding “downtown” area was once a more vibrant art scene, many of those galleries have had to shut down due to the rise in rents and the ushering in of big corporate names and recognizable hip brands such as Arc’teryx, Pendleton or the all too Colorado common: Marijuana dispensary. With muted or window-less storefronts and such vague names as “Native roots” or “Village green society,” there seems to be a sort of mutually agreed upon compromise with community leaders and the chamber of commerce to have these first in the nation legal establishments operate in an almost “speakeasy” style manner in order to keep Boulder from becoming too… well, from becoming Berkeley.

In short, Boulder, the flagship location for the University of Colorado system, with its “anti-elitism” and granola-eating, Birkenstock-wearing, back-to-nature culture, has seemingly turned its back on the small business and artist community and, in its place, has welcomed in those who keep “Chalets” and “Weekend Lodges” up Left-hand canyon and venture in from Silicon Valley or Austin Texas whenever they need the rocky mountain air to calm their over-stressed restless souls Boulder’s newest residence are all too happy to buy their art on Santa Fe’s famous Canyon Rd. and arranged to have it shipped up by Chamli Art Services. 

In a way, I think Boulder knew It could never compete with her more world-famous sisters higher in elevation: Vail and Aspen. Unlike those world-class luxury and art destinations, Boulder knows itself as a College town, a haven of academia, and insomuch most of the arts it promotes seems to be in the performing arts and venues for concerts and the such. In this way, Boulder tailors itself to those CU moms and dads who want to get the biggest return on the four (or five) year investment they are going to pour into young Kaden or Makenzie when they visit. What would that puffy down jacket be without a Starbucks in hand and tickets to the open-air performance of “Macbeth for the Deaf”?

But there is Hope:

NoBo!

Michael went on to tell me that not only was Ana’s Art Gallery “smashing it” when it came to sales, but it also had great support from the local community and the artists it represents. He was proud to announce that Ana works with buyers near and far. He also had a glimmer of hope in his eye when he pointed me to the newly emerging artist community just a few short miles away in North Boulder. Giving themself the moniker NoBo Arts District, this once ill-begotten neighborhood of machine shops and storage yards was now having a renaissance similar to that previously seen emerge from the old vacant shipyards of California’s west Oakland neighborhood. Where modern-day beatniks and Nouveau Bohemians took up residency in the lofty warehouses and transformed them into thriving underground and often off-grid arts communes, which have given rise to such world-renowned collectives such as the “Burning Man” festival held annually in the high desert of Northern Nevada.

While certainly not as organic, rough, or ad hoc as the Oakland scene, the North Boulder Arts District is giving a venue to young and emerging artists in the region to gather, create, and show their works to the community. Situated in a nicely refurbished and well-lit bus depot, the gallery is open for a few hours in the afternoon Fridays-Sunday and hosts a “first Friday” gathering each month for the artist to host the community and discuss their works while offering the standard charcuterie and consuming Malbec from plastic cups.

Nearby most of these artists share rent on studio space in old garages or lots once dominated by mechanics and plumbers. I visited with one such artist, who introduced himself as Robert and agreed that while in the past Boulder was not friendly to the “struggling Artist” and had “choose to chase corporate profits and capitalistic falsehoods over the creative minds of its citizens”, he has seen great strides from the city and county to help foster an arts community in this area.

We are still a long way off from Boulder being an “arts destination” even on their website https://boulderartassociation.org/ the Boulder Art Association only lists 15 galleries within the city limits, and many of those were either the collections of art housed within the University of Colorado or a small collection at the Public Library; not items typically for purchase or with rotating exhibitions. But to be fair and to demonstrate further the low importance of art in this community, the association also did not even list Ana’s Art Gallery on their website.

One other bit of hope was that both Michael and Robert each independently expressed the growing art scenes in the surrounding communities of Lafayette, Louisville and even Golden, Colorado. It seems that while artists are not able to afford to work or create in the town that all too often defines the Colorado front range culture, they are still very much a part of the larger community and find opportunities to show and sell their art when they can. The Boulder Art Festival or the Pearl Street Artfest certainly draws big crowds during the weekend-long events, each held during the Summer months and allows for artists to show and sell on the renowned outdoor mall from their Costco pop-up tents.

 But whether you purchase art at the festival or from a gallery out of state, Please remember that Chamli Art Services is here to help you with all your art handling and art logistics needs. We offer Art Advisory services and can help connect you with the artists and the pieces you are looking to add to your collection. Our vast network of artists of all levels and mediums allows us to help find the correct piece for your space and collection.

Check us out at www.ChamliArtServices.com for more information and always feel free to give us a call with your thoughts on this topic or anything Art related.