Welcome to Mad About Art!
Mad About Art! is an enthusiastic group of art lovers run by a volunteer board. MAA! offers monthly programming featuring unique art activities in the Denver metro area. Programs include artist studio visits, private collection tours, corporate art tours, and public art tours. There are also book salons and lectures. Social activities include member parties for holidays and special events. In addition, the MAA! Travel program provides small group excursions to national and international locations several times a year. Membership is $75 per household for a calendar year.
It is time to renew your Mad About Art! 2025 membership. Programming is well underway for 2025, with events you won’t want to miss. Click the link below to complete your membership renewal, then view your cart and pay. Membership dues are $75.00 per household for 2025. You cannot sign up for events until you renew your membership. So sign up NOW!
(Note: Any new members joining 9/1/24 or later are already considered paid for 2025.)
Scroll down to the bottom of the page to Join or Renew Your Membership
(Don’t forget to view your cart and pay after you have registered.)
Looking forward to another year of exciting art adventures.
Don’t delay; renew your membership today!
HAPPENING IN JULY 2025
ANNOUNCEMENT
Mad About Art! is pleased to provide monthly programs for our membership. We endeavor to have space available for everyone interested in a particular program. However, we have noticed a trend of members signing up for events and not showing or canceling at the last minute. Because some of the programs are at artists studios, space is often limited. Please do not sign up for a program until you are certain of your schedule and if you need to cancel please do so at least a week prior to the event date. Registering for a program the moment the newsletter arrives and then cancelling a day or two before prevents other members from attending. We look forward to seeing you at future programs!
Colorado Photographic Arts Center’s 62nd Annual Juried Members’ Show
Thursday, July 10, 2025 1:00pm
The visit to the Colorado Photographic Arts Center members’ exhibits showcases PAC’s talented community of over 700 members. Samantha Johnston, Executive Director and Curator, will lead a tour of the show and discuss selected photographs by 37 CPAC members, as well as 19 Special Mention works.
No cost to attend
RSVP by July 7, 2025
Event Location: Colorado Photographic Arts Center 1200 Lincoln Street Suite 111, Denver, CO 80203
Program is limited to 48 Members
Directions: There is not a designated parking lot for the Center. Street parking is available within walking distance, but may require metered parking with various time restrictions. There are surface parking lots in the area, at 1131 Lincoln Street and 1255 Sherman Street. There is The Art Garage located just north of the Art Studios (at 1255 Lincoln Street). Parking costs $5 per hour. Be aware there is no elevator at The Art Garage. Parking is also available at the Cultural Center Complex Garage at 12th Avenue and Broadway. Accessible parking spaces are located on the second level.
Chad and Christopher’s Summer Garden Tour
Sunday, July 13, 2025 9:00am-12:00pm
Join us for a morning spent touring MAA! members Chad and Christopher’s home, garden and sculpture collection. Danishes, coffee, and other beverages will be provided.
No cost to attend
RSVP by July 9, 2025
Location: 153 West Cedar Ave, Denver, CO 80223
Program is not limited
Street parking is free on Sunday
Visit to Studio Britten
Thursday, July 17, 2025 3:00-5:00 PM
Britten Elizabeth grew up in the colorful city of San Francisco and studied art in historic Florence, Italy which gave her a wide range of artistic abilities. Additional experience as a graphic, portrait, and mural artist also helped her find true expression in the contemporary art world.
In explaining her process, “ I start every painting with a handmade alder wood frame stretched with organic cotton canvas. After gesso, I apply a water-based layer, giving the painting texture. Layers of gold, silver, and copper leaf are then followed by French-milled, museum quality oil paint and resin. This unique layering technique gives my paintings a luminous quality ranging from peaceful and ethereal to vibrant and lively. My creativity mirrors an internal landscape of emotion inspired by Colorado’s dramatic, wide open spaces. I paint with the skill and aesthetic sensitivity acquired from experience and a fearless exploration of endless possibilities.”
No Cost to attend
RSVP by July 10, 2025
3:00pm Time Slot
3:45pm Time Slot
4:15pm Time Slot
Location: 2109 E Virginia Ave, Denver, CO 80209
Street parking available
Program is limited to 15 members per 45 min time slot.
Special instructions: Due to limited space in Britten’s studio we ask that you sign up for one of three time slots; 3pm, 3:45pm and 4:15pm. Refreshments will be available outside of the studio space.
Patricia Aaron at Blue Sky IDEA Studio and Gallery Tour
Friday, August, 1st, 2025 10:00 am
Pat Aaron is an internationally recognized artist working in encaustic and mixed media on custom birch panels, linen canvas, and archival papers. Pat’s work has been shown in over 45 solo exhibitions and her work explores the intersection of the natural world and urban culture. Pat earned her MFA at the University of Denver and has studied in London, Paris, and Germany. She is also represented by Space Gallery in Denver. Please join us in the morning with a beautiful artist, surrounded by extraordinary art.
No cost to attend
RSVP by July, 25th, 2025
Location: 6412 South Quebec St., Bldg 1 Centennial, CO 80111
There is free off street parking available. There will be an open Studio signage outside. Studio is called Blue Sky IDEA Studio and Gallery.
Program is limited to 40 Members.
Special instructions: Pat will begin talking at 10:15am. Please arrive early.
MAA Travel Program for 2025
Washington, D.C. and its Fabulous Museums amidst Cherry Blossoms
March 30-April 6, 2025
SOLD OUT
This not-to-be-missed tour of museums throughout the Nation’s Capital will introduce participants to the plethora of institutions such as The National Gallery, the Phillips Collection, the Freer Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, the Hirschhorn, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum of Women’s Art, the National Museum of African American Art, the National Museum of the American Indian, among others. Other venues will be added as available. You’ll experience extraordinary hotel accommodations, fine cuisine, and the lively, collegial, and witty banter of the tour’s guide, Dr. Timothy James Standring, Curator Emeritus, Denver Art Museum.
Swiss Museums, Hotels and Restaurants
October 4-15, 2025
SOLD OUT
Pack your lederhosen and Swiss-designed OnCloud sneakers for this fabulous tour of Switzerland’s scenic beauty and memorable museums in 2025 from the 4th to the 15th of October. This tour will travel through the playground of Europe by first-class Swiss passes to Zurich, Basel, Bern, Lucerne, and Geneva, as well as to little-known venues such as Saint Gall and Winterthur. You’ll experience stunningly new museums by world-class architects David Chipperfield in Zurich, Jean Nouvel in Lucerne, Mario Botta in Basel, and Renzo Piano in Bern and Riehen, luxuriate in extraordinary hotel accommodations, and dine at Switzerland’s finest restaurants. The tour’s guide, Dr. Timothy James Standring, Curator Emeritus, Denver Art, will enliven the 20 participants of this Swiss tour with lively, collegial, and witty banter.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
August 1
Patricia Aaron studio visit
September 9
David Cook Gallery of Western Art Visit
September 17, 11am
Jane Guthridge studio visit and demonstration
October 4-15
Swiss Museums, Hotels and Restaurants Trip
October 24
Tour of Robert Mann Rug Factory
December 7, 4-7pm
Holiday Program
For any questions or concerns, please email us at maaprograms@yahoo.com.
PAST PROGRAMS
Amy Metier and Jeff Richards at Blue Silo Studio
Friday, August, 1st, 2025 10:00 am
LOCAL INTEREST
Twice a year, the artists at Prism Workspaces open their doors to the public for Open Studio Night. Prism has 68 studios, so this is a unique opportunity to talk to the artists and see their work.
prismworkspaces.com
Friday June 20, 2025
5:30-9pm
999 Vallejo Street, Denver, CO 80204
Prism is a unique, creative community comprised of emerging and established artists, designers, photographers, fiber and mixed media artists, sculptors, furniture design, common gallery space, video production, illustrators, early-stage workspaces for product development, incubator spaces, jewelry and print-making studios and creatives of all types.
MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH ART
Center For The Arts Evergreen 31880 Rocky Village Drive Evergreen, CO 80439 • 303-674-0056
Interesting exhibits and a ZOOM book club for members. The book club selections are fiction based on the art world with lively discussions which sometimes include the authors. For more information on the book club, visit evergreenarts.org/cae-book-club.
Crystal Bridges Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a37911642/alice-walton-crystal-bridges-museum-interview/
Great Art Books of 2020: https://apple.news/ADZZ5tDWJO8iZTWWX_UciZA
Google Arts and Culture: https://artsandculture.google.com
Wiki Art Visual Art Encyclopedia: www.wikiart.org
National Gallery of Art: The Art of Looking: https://www.nga.gov/calendar/gallery-talks/the-art-of-looking.html
The National Gallery of Art provides an ongoing webinar series for members. Visit www.nga.gov
The Louvre Museum offers its entire collection online at https://www.louvre.fr/en/
Kino Now: Discover the masterworks of yesterday and new films destined to be classics tomorrow. Good source for viewing films on the subject of art and artists. https://kinonow.com
As a follow-up to our visit with Skip Whitcomb, an interesting article on color theory: https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/primary-sources?fbclid=IwAR1DYkfS52gGztKPid7m3r_QdkEhRUyAm_shHxRKUsb9Ig0AF8J346SdOT
Hybrid Programming
Our hybrid model of programming which offers both in-person and online events began with Covid but has remained popular even as health concerns ease. The 2025 Events list is updated monthly and designates locations, times, and requirements. Please watch your email for any last-minute changes.
Note: In-person gatherings may require proof of vaccination. Masking policy will follow public health guidelines and/or may be required at the request of the host.
Zoom Etiquette
Zoom programs allow us to “travel” to more places and stay safe during events such as Covid 19. Going forward, we hope to benefit from some tips we have learned along the way. While we love to see you on Zoom as does the speaker, adhering to a few common courtesies helps maintain the quality of our programs. For example, once the speaker has begun a program, please remember to mute yourself if the host has not already done so. You will save us the interruptions caused by coughing, talking, etc. which temporarily bring your name up onto the screen. If you are multitasking, please also turn your video off. Scenes of cooking, answering phone calls, exercising, and sleeping are distracting, sometimes embarrassing. Respect for all involved is the goal. We appreciate your help in this endeavor.
JOIN AS A NEW MEMBER BELOW
DUES PAYMENT
Annual dues are $75.00 per household. After completing the Membership Registration form, you will receive access to make your dues payment by debit or credit card. Membership cost is $75 per household for a calendar year.
Member Registration
Membership signup form
MAA! BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2025
President: Chad Skrbina
Past President: Hanne Lichtenfels
Treasurer: Stacey Wilson
Secretary: Kate McDaniel
Membership: Patty Horsch
Programs: Carol Whitley
Communications: Terry McCullough and Robin Schaefer
Travel: Helen Shreves
Nominating: Mary Willis
Check Out Our Video and Previous Programs Page
Here you will find videos from our recent and past events – just click the red video icon.
