In Denver, we can thank the Botanical Gardens for stepping up to feature a number of streetwise artists in their Urban Nature program, commissioning them to create murals that remind us of that spring is here, while also amazing us with their creative gift.

Of the dozen artists, one of the most notable names is Lady Pink (http://pinksmith.com), a woman among men from the early days of graffiti in New York City, and a pioneer in her own right. Some may remember her from the movie “Style Wars” (1983). Quite a lot has happened since those days, including a great amount of respect for her work, the building of a mural business, and museums who have come a’callin’, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum.

“Street murals will be created on temporary panels situated within the natural beauty of the Gardens' York Street site, creating visual relationships that both surprise and resonate,” said the Gardens.

Other artists include Mac (http://www.elmac.net), who works with ink, spraypaint, pencil and other mediums, with styles that range from realistic, photographic like acrylics, to line-art beauties, including one of Barak Obama.

Then there’s Siloette, with her soft and poignant approach to nature, along with our own bevy of local artists, including Dread and Wiser from Your Name in Graffiti (www.ynig.com), the styles of Amanda Marie (www.artbyam.com) that beckon back to the days of classic children’s books, Jolt (from Guerilla Garden, who recently appeared in the current issue of Juxtapose), Bunker, Delton Demarest, Sophie Fernandez, Javier Flores, Mission, Adam Moorhead, Todd Robinson and Ian Rumley.

Urban Nature is one of a number of urban programs the Gardens has planned, including Poetry Slam! and Open Mic Night on Monday, May 12, from 7-9 p.m., co-presented by the University of Denver's Writing Program.

www.botanicgardens.org/content/urban-nature

-Kim Owens, April 16, 2008