While the Denver Art Museums’s buildings are temporarily closed, their staff is still working. Because they know that art has the power to build community, deepen social connections, and convene dialogues, they are creating online resources to inspire you and offer respite and comfort in these challenging times. Explore the museum’s offerings from home until they can welcome you safely back in person.
EXPERIENCE NATURAL FORCES AT HOME
Until we can share Natural Forces: Winslow Homer and Frederic Remington with you in person, we’re excited to offer a virtual sneak peek of what to expect from our latest exhibition. Join curators Thomas Brent Smith and Jennifer R. Henneman as they explore over 60 illustrations, paintings, and sculptures, and discuss how Homer and Remington created a vision of American life and landscape at the dawn of the 20th century.
ARTWORK OF THE WEEK
This week, we’re highlighting a painting chosen by Jorge Rivas Pérez, curator of Latin American Art. Jorge describes the scene in Mystic Dinner as being similar to families sharing meals at home now:
“Artist Gaspar Munoz de Salazar created the painting in the early 1700s in Puebla, Mexico. The fruits on the table represent a mixture of those native to the Americas, such as chirimoyas, guayabas, and chiles; together with varieties introduced from Europe such as grapes, pears, and pomegranates.
“Doña Guiomar de Ulloa (in the far left of the painting), a wealthy widow living in Avila, Spain during the 1500s, welcomed leading religious figures of the time into her house. She was a patron of the Discalced Franciscans, with whom St. Peter of Alcántara (second from right) was affiliated, and of the Reformed Carmelite Order founded by St. Teresa of Avila (second from left). According to legend, Doña Guiomar introduced Saints Peter and Teresa in 1558. Followers of both Saint Peter and Saint Teresa wrote of occasions in which they witnessed Peter being given food and drink by Christ (far right),” he explains.
Find more artistic treasures by browsing our Latin American Art collection, as well as our full online collection.

(Gaspar Munoz de Salazar, Mystic Dinner (about 1730))
CREATE YOUR OWN RHYTHMIC ARTWORK
For this week’s creative challenge, museum educator Erica Richard looked to Gene Davis’ Phantom Tattoo for inspiration. Before painting, Davis carefully laid down masking tape on the canvas to create approximately 220 stripes, each of equal width. When he filled the stripes in with color, he relied on his gut instinct to create a pattern which felt like rhythmic music for the eyes.
Taking Davis’ lead, Richard crafted an activity to encourage you to create your own colorful rhythmic artwork. Hit the “Get Started” button below for instructions and be sure to tag us on social media (Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook) using @denverartmuseum to show off your masterpiece! Get Started.
GO FOR A WALK IN THE PARK
Museums across the country participated in the #MuseumSunshine hashtag this week to lighten (and brighten) social media feeds. Our selection, A Walk in the Park (or Springtime in the Park), comes from American Impressionist painter Childe Hassam. Check out the hashtag on Instagram and Twitter for more sunny artworks! And be sure to explore more art and activities you can do from home by staying connected with us virtually. Read more.
