Ceremonies in the Air: JayCee Beyale + Karma Leigh

LOCATION: Alto Gallery - 1900 35th St, Suite B

CATEGORY: Art Events

PAST DATE AND TIME:

• Fri, Nov 4, 2022 - Sat, Nov 26, 2022  

Join us First Friday November 4 in celebrating Native American Heritage Month with the opening reception of Ceremonies in the Air: JayCee Beyale + Karma Leigh. Featuring a selection of new and recent paintings by the Denver-based artists plus a special print collaboration with Anthony Garcia. On view November 4 - November 26. Artists in attendance.

BIO

JayCee grew up in the Four Corners area of New Mexico and received my BFA in printmaking from the University of New Mexico. JayCee is now based in Denver, Colorado, where he continues his work as a founding member of the Creative Nations Arts Collective for Indigenous Artists based at the Dairy Arts Center in Boulder. In addition to co-curating exhibitions, producing events including an annual Indigenous Arts Fair, JayCee frequently travels to collaborate with fellow artists and commissioning organizations throughout the Southwest on murals and other projects.

JayCee's connection to his aboriginal culture is grounded in his artistic practice. His personal identity, background and pride in who he is and where he comes from has always been at the heart of his work.

JayCee's career as an artist began with his discovery of street art and graffiti. Using a combination of spray paints and acrylics, JayCee celebrates the fusion of technology with Indigenous culture, primarily in paintings and murals. JayCee's work is deeply influenced by music, while the combination of traditional Indigenous ideologies with his Buddhist practice is equally important to his artmaking, through which he strives to illuminate core concepts and convictions: the Laws of Movement, Unity and Impermanence.

Karma Leigh is a Chicana from Colorado who was blessed to grow up between two worlds, the urban life of the city and the natural wonders of the Rockies. Both have inspired her work as an artist and educator. Karma has always had an innate desire for exploration and traveled to many cities in the US landing her in Phoenix for three years. It was there her passion to create, and hone her skills as an artist, were fueled by the many prolific artists she was surrounded by.

Karma is a self-taught painter, muralist, curator and creator of jewelry and tangible goods. Her talents are not limited to the paint and palette; she has helped organize successful vendor markets for FemFest, taught for the EPIC Arts program out of Redline Gallery, and was the former Education Coordinator for Museo de las Americas and has been a teacher there for seven years. Karma is also an art teacher with Voz y Corazon, a suicide prevention program in Denver, for five years and will be teaching her own art programs in 2021.