Greeley’s Atlas Theater to launch drive-up art show Friday
On Friday, folks will be able to peek through the windows at Atlas Theater, 709 16th St. in Greeley to see an art show based on hope. Photo by Kelly Ragan.
By Kelly Ragan
Kourtney Hayes hasn’t let many people outside her family see her art. Most of the time she hoards it in her guest room. But that changes Friday.
Hayes’ work will appear with about 15 other artists at a “peek in” art show at Atlas Theater, 709 16th St. in Greeley. Folks will be able to drive up and look at the art on display through the garage windows. The theme of the show is hope.
Hayes’ piece features a skeletal hand reaching out toward a kaleidoscope of color, eventually turning into skin.
“It shows that it doesn’t matter how far gone you think you are, you can reach out and there will be places for healing and hope that can bring you back to life,” Hayes, 27, said.
Work by other Greeley favorites, such as Armando Silva and Betony Coons, who had her own drive-up show at her house last week, will make an appearance as well.
Kelly Cook, a long-time Greeley educator and lecturer at the University of Northern Colorado, is the mastermind behind the art show.
“I’ve been so, so encouraged by the way everything got shut down except the hearts of the artists in this town,” Cook said. “So many things have come out of this quarantine.”
Maybe that means someone performed live jokes on Instagram, or hosted a free virtual free class, or played digital concerts to help keep people entertained and inspired, she said.
Atlas, which shares space with the coffeeshop John Galt, typically hosts an artist every month. Cook got to thinking it wouldn’t be fair to this month’s artist to do things as usual, since there’d be limited chances for folks to see the work.
“I started thinking, ‘How can we do a show where nobody comes in?’” Cook said.
The show will be up through May, Cook said, so there will be plenty of time to come check it out while abiding by social distancing standards.
As for Hayes, she decided to jump in and do her first art show – even with all the added layer of COVID-19 weirdness – because she realized it wasn’t a competition.
“Something told me deep down that this was a moment to be surrounded by friends in a space where there were so many different artists,” Hayes said. “Not to pit myself against them but to inspire myself with. Other artists have lifted me into that space and given me the courage to put something out there.”
How to see the show
Where: Atlas Theater, 709 16th St. in Greeley
When: 5 p.m. May 8 through the rest of the month
How: Peek in through the windows
For more information, go to https://www.facebook.com/theatlastheater/