Experience the breathtaking beauty of William Corey’s photography. Capturing Japanese Gardens over decades, Corey’s sensitivity to his subject is captured on film. Photographs courtesy of William Corey Gallery, LLC, with support from the Asian Art Coordinating Council and Photo Craft Imaging.

*Closed periodically for private events. To confirm accessibility, call Visitor Services at 720-865-3585.

Of Japanese descent, Kasahara uses the lightness of kitsch and humor to explore the heavy topics of stereotypes and personal identity. An Asian American living in the West, her colorful images pull from Japanese pop culture as well as cowboy hats and hamburgers.

Nagakura expands the Japanese tradition of bamboo baskets, moving beyond the functional into the realm of abstract sculptural forms. Using splitting and plaiting techniques learned from his grandfather, the artist creates forms that are bold and expressionistic.
Organized in collaboration with Tai Gallery, Santa Fe.
Artist Reception: Wednesday, May 16, 5:30–8 p.m. Curator Talk: 6:30 p.m.

View a downloadable exhibition catalog here.

A true color virtuoso, Trine Bumiller pulls from the resources of nature to investigate geometry, patterning and chance. These irregularly shaped and active compositions are simultaneously fantastic and familiar.
Organized in collaboration with Robischon Gallery, Denver.

In the Auto Immune Response (AIR) series, Wilson (Diné) addressed the relationship between a post-apocalyptic Diné man and the beautiful, but toxic environment he inhabits. The series investigated rapid transformation of indigenous lifeways, the disease it has caused and strategies of response that enable cultural survival.

Lowe (Ho-Chunk) seeks to understand his natural surroundings through site-specific sculpture. This installation embodied the movement of water, offering a visual dialogue with the Gardens’ environment. Additional wall-mounted works rounded out the show.

Inspired by the plants in the Gardens, Dinè artist Melanie Yazzie created new work that evoked the memories of her many-worlds traveled. While whimsical, her work has serious undertones, referencing Native post-colonial dilemmas and matrilineal systems.

Extraordinary showcased artist Riva Sweetrocket’s exquisitely detailed and luminous pastel work that brought nature and humans together in surprising ways. This exhibit was organized in collaboration with Plus Gallery in Denver.

Inspired by the palette and toolbox of nature, Regina Benson’s From Nature’s Studio featured wall hangings and textile sculptures that boasted surface designs achieved through natural dye and discharging processes. A textiles workshop accompanied the exhibit.

Moore Inspired displayed contemporary artists’ responses to the ideas, forms and themes of Henry Moore’s artwork. The juried exhibition displayed work in a range of media, examining a panoply of influences that informed Moore’s work, including the human figure, non-western art, natural forms and the landscape.

Joellyn Duesberry’s Sharpening the Edge exhibit showcased the artist’s modernist brushstrokes in color-rich, plein-air landscape paintings. This exhibit was organized in collaboration with Gallery 1261 in Denver.

The Gardens’ Botanical Illustration Certificate Program is one of a handful of programs worldwide providing comprehensive instruction in botanical art and illustration. Students displayed their best work in this annual show.

A commentary on humankind’s relationship with nature, this exhibit featured the remarkable intersection of botanical resources and digital technology explored in Bonny Lhotka’s artworks.

The Rare exhibit was organized by the Rocky Mountain Society of Botanical Artists to introduce the public to rare and endangered plant species within the state of Colorado. Illustrated plants were identified in part with the Colorado Natural Heritage Program. The Gardens’ Conservation & Research Department assisted with a related publication.

2009 marked 50 years at Denver Botanic Gardens’ York Street location and the Flourish exhibition presented original botanical illustration and companion photographs from the commemorative publication "Flourish: A Visionary Garden in the American West" (Johnson Books) to celebrate the occasion. Illustrations were created by the Gardens’ Botanical Illustration Certificate Program.