Spirit Guides: Fantastical Creatures from the Workshop of Jacobo and María Ángeles
York Street Location
Created by the workshop of Mexican artists Jacobo and María Ángeles, these brightly colored and richly patterned sculptures depict imaginary hybrid animals that act as both spirit guides and astrological embodiments of human character. Inspired by the Zapotec calendar, Spirit Guides is an unforgettable outdoor experience reminding us of the profound connections that bind us to the inhabitants of the natural (and cosmological) world.
About the Artists
Jacobo and María Ángeles are a married artist team based in San Martín Tilcajete in Oaxaca, Mexico. Joyful, fanciful and distinctively patterned, the Ángeles’ animal sculptures embrace both contemporary art practices and folk art traditions. With increasing demand for their works, the artists employ more than 100 artisans in a workshop that also acts as an art school, offering creatives the opportunity to advance and develop their artistic skills. The workshop’s creations have been exhibited in museums throughout the globe, including the Museo de Arte Popular in Mexico City and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.
Gallery
Related Programs
Introduction to Wool Felting/Introduccion a la lana de fieltro
Join Luna Cultura and explore wet felting and needle felting techniques to create unique, textural artworks. Take inspiration from the gardens and
Artist Talk with Jacobo and Maria Angeles
Join us for an artist talk with Jacobo and María Ángeles from San Martín Tilcajete, Mexico to learn more about the monumental sculptures on view
Plein Air Drawing in the Gardens
Plein air (or painting outdoors) allows artists to experience and capture the changing details of light and atmospheric conditions in real time
Culturally-Inspired Fabric Books/Libros de tela culturalmente inspirados
Join Luna Cultura to make your own fabric book inspired by traditional Mexican art and artists. Take inspiration from the gardens to add nature
Curator Conversations Tour
Join us for a stroll through current art exhibitions in our state-of-the-art Freyer – Newman Center galleries with a curatorial staff member. Explore our diverse art exhibitions, which support Denver Botanic Gardens’ mission to connect people to plants, and learn about the artists, artworks and processes during an engaging, interactive conversation.
Spirit Guides Outdoor Art Tour
Experience the wonder and awe of Spirit Guides in the gardens on this tour that explores the outdoor sculpture exhibition as well as related plant themes.
Spirit Guides Drop-in Artmaking
Inspired by the Spirit Guides exhibition, paint your own miniature papier-mâché animals, such as butterflies, swans and peacocks.
- Saturdays, June 8, July 20 & August 24, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. outside Boettcher Memorial Center. All ages.
- Various papier-mâché animals for purchase $12-$22.