There is a place for art lovers of all shapes and sizes to gather together; a place where music can be heard from different locals along the bustling street, food trucks of all kinds emanate fragrant street food aromas and beer and wine flows freely as crowds gather to appreciate the work of some of Denver’s great local artists.

This place is the First Friday Art Walk, which takes place on several adjoining blocks in the Denver Santa Fe Art District. This district has hosted an Art Walk every first and third Friday of the month for about the past ten to fifteen years, according to Staff Member Terryl Lofgren. From 6 – 9 p.m., patrons can take advantage of the extended hours to browse the exhibits in art galleries on Santa Fe Drive.

“I felt like the Art Walk was a great expression of the artistic culture of Colorado. I would definitely go back next month to see more exhibits, and it really inspired me to take advantage of more of the cultural opportunities that we have in Denver,” said sophomore undeclared major, Alex McDonald from San Francisco, Calif.

According to Lofgren, First Friday is the much more popular of the two, primarily because of the ease of transportation.

Every First Friday a shuttle, sponsored by The Rackhouse Pub and Breckenridge Brewery, runs continually from 5:30 – 9:30 p.m. The shuttle picks up patrons from various locations including the Osage RTD Light Rail Station and West High School parking lot. The ride takes them down Santa Fe Drive through the Art District where patrons are recommended to exit the shuttle at 6th and Santa Fe; they can then make their way down the street where they will eventually be picked up at 10th and Santa Fe.
Upon exiting the shuttle and making one’s way down the street, the senses are overwhelmed by a plethora of art, music, food trucks, fashion and eccentric artists, many of whom set up on the street.
Every few feet there is a new gallery or shop with different attractions. The following galleries are merely a number of the dozens of open galleries that make up the Santa Fe Art Walk.

One of the first galleries from the shuttle stop is the Denver Art Society. With live music, a life-size sculpted Santa Clause in the corner and artists drawing in the midst of the organized chaos, the bustling scene leaves little to be desired.

Young couples, old friends and intrigued children watch the performers and browse the tables of jewelry and paintings that are for sale. Some visitors buy artwork, but many just survey the sights, sounds and smells that make up the event.

Half a block down is Artists on Santa Fe, a gallery that exudes an entirely different atmosphere than the initial one. Room leads to room in an endless maze of upstairs and downstairs, leading from a scattered workshop to a dimly lit basement bursting with exquisitely crafted vases and pots. Walk outside, take a quick turn, head upstairs and you’ll be in yet another world of art. It begins in a small room containing refreshments, strangely comical posters and clown-themed art and continues into a narrow hallway entirely lined on all sides by paintings.

Continue a bit more and you can find yourself in Kanon Collective, with expressive art that comes alive on the walls. There is an otherwise blank surface crawling with small ceramic spiders creeping into a crafted open mouth.

Walk around the intriguing wall and through a door to the back, and you can exit into a back patio that will take you over into Chac Norte, an even more bustling gallery with a bar in its midst.
In here, the crowd is still exceedingly diverse, with children grasping their parents’ hands and elderly couples examining paintings on the side, but, aided by the plethora of alcohol, the vibe is louder and more upbeat than many of the other quiet, thoughtful galleries.

Across the street is an entirely different kind of art in Art District Antiques; take a moment to wander around the ordered clutter of the antique shop as you dodge around antique typewriters and trunks.

Once it is time to move on, Conscious Alliance down the street offers up wine and cheese for patrons’ enjoyment while they browse through the local band posters displayed on every surface. For the art lover looking to purchase a piece, they can place a bid in the silent auction.
Farther down the block is John Fielder’s Colorado, one of the more spacious and quiet galleries. With beautiful landscapes and cityscapes among this month’s collection, the gallery seems to attract a slightly older and softer crowd.

The Art District’s First Friday Art Walk is a perfect opportunity to take advantage of the beautiful art galleries so close by and to learn more about Denver’s artists.
If you miss First Friday, Third Friday offers a suitable, if less lively, alternative.
To find out more information on these events check out: bit.ly/cbsVeH.