Sculpture takes center stage at the Botanic Gardens and MCA Denver (Denver Westward Publication)

By Michael Paglia Thursday, Sep 19 2013, Denver Westword

"For every artist doing three-dimensional pieces in Colorado, there are a hundred more working in two dimensions. That makes a pair of current shows featuring sculpture and installations something special.

First up is Catalyst, an enchanting outdoor exhibit at the Denver Botanic Gardens that is chock-full of impressive sculptures. Catalyst was ably organized by Lisa Eldred, the director of exhibitions at the DBG, who took a "snapshot" of a slice of Colorado's contemporary sculpture scene as exemplified by a dozen of the state's best three-dimensional artists.

The grounds of the DBG, perfectly accented by the Victor Hornbein-designed conservatory, are the ideal place to display outdoor sculptures. There's plenty of room to accommodate the artwork: 23 acres covered in meandering paths lined with flowers, bushes, trees and all manner of landscaping. With this labyrinthine maze, many areas are obscured by the plantings, so it makes sense to get a map of Catalyst before setting off...

...Resembling giant game pieces that have been casually tossed on the ground are the three simple truncated cones of stone and steel from Emmett Culligan's "Crew" series.

Most of the artists are represented by signature works, but a couple have created unexpected pieces, notably the organic abstraction by Andy Miller and the funky neo-pop Maker's Mark bottles by Terry Maker.

I've walked through Catalyst twice and loved it both times. With fall approaching and the leaves about to turn, it's the ideal time to check it out."