The Kirkland Musuem of Fine and Decorative Art - One year in its new location

The Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art just celebrated its one year anniversary in its new location at 1201 Bannock Street in Denver's Golden Triangle district.   This 38,500 square foot building was designed by Jim Olson of the Seattle-based architectural firm Olson Kundig.  It's a striking building along with the Vance Kirkland studio and art school that was moved from its original site.
The museum fits in beautifuly to the area with the Denver Art Museum, Clifford Stills Museum and Denver Library as its neighbors.
The museum features three distinct collections.  The International Decorative Art with more than 4,000 pieces from Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau, De Stijl, Bauhaus, art Deco, Postmodern and other periods.  Colorado and Regional Art, over 7,00 works by 750 artists.  And Vance Kirlkand's works (1904 - 1981).
What is unique to the Kirkland Museum, the art is arranged in salon style in which the paintings and sculptures share the same space with other decorative art.

Upon entering the museum, behind the welcome desk is Kirkland's oil and water painting, Concerning Scorpio Ten Billions Years B.C..  (The Dot Paintings - 1977 - 75" x 100")

The visitor lounge has a great display of ceramics that can be seen from both inside and outside the museum.

Above is the Promenade Gallery in which the other galleries branch off from.  Such a great view of Kirkland's painting at the end of the corridor.  He produced five major periods of paintings:  designed realism, surrealism, hard edge abstractions from nature, abstract expressionism and dot paintings.

The Illusion of Floating Mysteries in Red Space - 1975 - 5th peroiod / dot painting - 75" x 139"

The Promenade Gallery.

Looking back to the welcome desk.

 At the entrance of the sculpture gallery you will find the cast bronze figures, Orepheus and Eurydice (1960) by Colorado artist Edgar Britton.

Britton taught at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center from 1942 - 1950.  He also had commissioned pieces for the Denver Botanic Gardens and the Brown Palace Hotel in downtown Denver.

Realism and Arts and Crafts gallery.

The Bauhaus gallery.

The next few pieces of art are some of my favorites.  Landscape with Bridges (1923) by Colorado artist, Charles Ramus who taught at the University of Denver School of Arts from 1942 - 1969.

Along the Track (1936) by Colorado artist Kathleen Vavra .

Siesta by the lake (1940) lithograph by Colorado artist, Hayes Lyon (1909 - 1987).

Two Men with a Melon (late 1940's) by William Sanderson (1905 - 1990).  Sanderson worked as a graphic illustrator in New York City.  He was stationed as Lowry in WWII and after the was taught at the University of Denver.

By the Canal (1929) by Birger Sandzen.   Sandzen immigrated to the United States from Sweden in 1894.   He painted many summers in Colorado, especially in Estes Park.

Great display of Art Nouveau and Art Deco ceramics.

The Referential Abstraction gallery.

Some of my favorite pottery, Bizarre Ware / Banded Ware, 1930, designed by English artist Clarice Cliff.

I adore the Art Deco demitasse cups and saucers - 1930 - English.

The Modern gallery which I can personally relate to for I grew up in a house full of Bertoia, Eames and Saarinen furniture. 

 Ruins of Central City (1935)

and Monastery at Ronda, Spain (1931) by Vance Kirkland are two of my favorite pieces of his painted during his 1st period, Designed Realism.

Kirkland's studio.  He would suspend himself on the straps above his paintings. 

What a great space to work in.

In the back of the museum is the video room where you can sit and watch how the 105 year old original studio was transported to its new location.  At 13,840 square feet and an estimated weight of 150 tons, it took over eight hours to move the building eight blocks.

I have been several times to the Kirkland Museum since it relocated to its new site.  It is one of my favorite museums!

Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art
1201 Bannock Street
Denver, Colorado 

Tuesday - Saturday:  11am - 5pm
Sunday: 12pm - 5pm
Monday: Closed