This weekend, do not miss the Denver Modernism Show! This fabulous event at the National Western Complex begins with the VIP gala on Friday night from 5-7, and then continues until 10pm with the preview party. This is a highlight of the year for me, and I can’t wait for the vintage fashion show on Saturday at 2. There are so many great booths featuring art, furnishings, glass, low-tech…you name it from the mod perspective, and it is there! Don’t miss the Miss Moderism Pageant, plus:

Tiki Lounge / Art Gallery / Sunday Car Show / Vintage Airstreams

Live Bands / Entertainment / Lectures / and Loads More!

After a bumpy start (we had car trouble in Glenwood Springs, I was fighting a nasty little cold and I quickly discovered I had packed for much cooler weather), we arrived Thursday night at The Peaks Resort and Spa in Mountain Village.

The festival started at noon on Friday, so my husband Chris and I took the free gondola from Mountain Village to the town of Telluride in search of breakfast. Bloody Marys and Eggs Benedict at the New Sheridan did the trick. After a bit of wandering around the charming little town for lighter clothing (I found a summer blouse, bought it and wore it right out of the store) we headed back to Mountain Village to meet CH&L account director Nancy Brown and walk through the festival. Here’s just a little taste of the talented artists that were there:

From left: M. Carla Wright, Denver; Julie West, Little Rock, AR; David Nelson, Larkspur, CO

From left: Gary Nichols, Denver; Blase Mathern, Jr., Wellington, CO; Kevin O’Grady, Scottsdale, AZ

The Grand Tasting was held Saturday night. Set up among the artists’ tents, area restaurants and wineries shared their best with grateful patrons.

What a wonderful weekend! Nancy and I would like to thank everyone involved—and especially Terry Adams—for working so hard to create such a great event. We can’t wait til next year!

The store officially opened July 27, but the big party was last Thursday evening. What a turnout—over 300 people sipping champagne, nibbling scrumptious hors d’oeuvres, and, in my case, mentally redecorating as I moved through the stunning room vignettes set up in the 6,600-square-foot space. I think the “Urban Chic” vignette (above) was my favorite. But the blue bedroom (below) wasn’t too shabby, either.

That’s probably the best part about this showroom: a wide range of styles are shown, from traditional and glam to bold and contemporary—a little something for everyone. And the vignettes will change weekly, giving us all an excuse to visit often. Not that I really need one.

The showroom, located on the second floor of the Cherry Creek Shopping Center (across from Neiman Marcus), is open Mon-Sat 10am – 9pm and Sun 11am – 6pm. (303) 232-8200; sliferdesigns.com.

Congrats to the whole Slifer team!

Just a few more days until the CCAF! Colorado Homes & Lifestyles is proud to be a media sponsor and we hope you’ll stop by our booth at the corner of 3rd and Fillmore, beautifully designed by Columbine Design, to visit and pick up your free copy of our current issue.

If you, like me, have attended the festival for years, you already know it gets better and better. This year is no exception; here’s just a few of the many new additions to the 2011 festival:

BE A PART OF ART WITH FEATURED GUEST ARTIST PHIL HANSEN Hansen is a groundbreaking, innovative artist internationally renowned for creating public dialog with art. He will be creating a collaborative piece of artwork based upon things you wouldn’t believe. He will solicit the general public for responses to this question: “Tell me about an experience that shocked you or caused disbelief.” Participate in this work of art and watch him finish it LIVE at the Arts Festival! Public comments are invited, encouraged, and will remain anonymous at CherryArts.org/Shocking.

THE NEW FILLMORE PLAZA The 2011 Cherry Creek Arts Festival proudly presents a new take on the Janus Main Stage, now located at the fully remodeled Fillmore Plaza.  Local businesses and neighborhood groups supported renovations to Fillmore Plaza, and CCAF looks forward to showcasing all that Fillmore Plaza has to offer. Highlights of this new festival center include shaded seating, greatly enhanced and beautified streetscapes, fresh culinary and beverage options, new activities, and more!

ALL-NEW iPHONE & DROID APPS Find our apps online at the iTunes store or Droid Market. This 4th of July you can navigate through the Festival with total freedom using our revamped smart phone apps, which feature easy-to-read daily schedules, maps, live Tweets, video podcasts, live photo and textual blogging, and more.

FARMER’S MARKET PRESENTED BY KING SOOPERS In the spirit of King Sooper’s dedication to Colorado and to bringing consumers fresh foods, the Cherry Creek Arts Festival is proud to feature the all-new Farmer’s Market. Located just west of 2nd Avenue and Clayton Lane, the Farmer’s Market will feature organic and fresh produce from local Colorado farmer suppliers. Patrons will be able to sample and purchase directly from the farmers themselves.

VISUAL ARTISTS Naturally, the exhibiting visual artists are at the core of the Festival: 78 of the 230 artists are first-time-ever CCAF exhibitors, with 87 artists returning from 2010. 17 artists are from the state of Colorado. The artists were chosen in a blind-jury process from 2,100 artist applications, making the CCAF one of, if not the most, competitive art shows in the nation.

The Cherry Creek Arts Festival is held at Denver’s Cherry Creek North Shopping District, from 2nd to 3rd Avenues, on the six streets between Clayton and Steele Streets.

o    Friday, July 1, 7:00pm-10:00pm Free Artist Preview Event (Clayton St. only)
o    Saturday, July 2, 10:00am-8:00pm
o    Sunday, July 3, 10:00am-8:00pm
o    Monday, July 4, 10:00am-6:00pm

For complete festival information, visit www.cherryarts.org.

See you there!

If you’re looking for a fun, exciting and meaningful way to spend the July 4th weekend, become a volunteer at this year’s Cherry Creek Arts Festival! The CCAF, a 501(c)(3) organization, invests event proceeds in a free regional art education and outreach effort in schools along the front range. But they can’t do it without volunteers!

Each year 350,000 guests visit the festival to experience art of all genres. Behind the artists, performances and activities is a team of over 1,000 volunteers who work with CCAF staff to help with artist relations, production, culinary demonstrations, festival ambassadors, the annual art auction and more.

Ready to join? Registration is underway. Go to cherryarts.org/volunteer to get more information and sign up. After a brief training session, the CCAF will find a spot for you!

Hope to see you there, July 2, 3 and 4!

The current show at the gallery would make a spectacular backdrop for your business gathering, or for friends and family:
A Visual Narrative featuring new mixed media work by Miani Carnevale and steel sculpture by John Ferguson. Miani approaches her abstract paintings with disparate materials ranging from crayon and chalk to acrylic and varnish, that create a narrative of color and light.

Walker Fine Art hosts events for any occasion. A 3800 square-foot raw loft style interior with the sophisticated collection of contemporary art creates a spectacular space with a unique social atmosphere. Contact Walker Fine Art for more information: 303.355.8955

I’m a big fan of illustration. Perhaps it’s part of my affection for magazines’ designed and printed pages. So I was thrilled to hear that the Telluride Gallery of Fine Art will launch an exhibit of beloved illustrator Bernie Fuchs’s work on June 26. Fuchs is something of an American icon: The youngest artist ever to be inducted into the Society of Illustrators’ Hall of Fame, Fuchs has created illustrations for a wide range of magazines, including Sports Illustrated, Cosmopolitan, American Heritage and The New Yorker, as well as countless books.

The exhibit, a 50-year retrospective of Fuchs’s work, will highlight the artist’s ability to capture the essence or mood of his subjects, be they people, places or events. Celebrated for his cinematic approach, Fuchs is undoubtedly one of America’s most accomplished and compelling artists. Don’t miss this show.

The Bernie Fuchs 50-Year Retrospective runs from June 26 to July 26 at the Telluride Gallery of Fine Art, 130 East Colorado Ave., Telluride, CO. For more information, please call (970) 728-3300. Fuchs will be present at the opening night event, June 26, from 5:30-7:30.