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Remember Every Bird

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How many artists: 
1

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Price Range: 
$275 to
$4500
Date: 
Friday, 21 September 2018 to Thursday, 11 October 2018
Opening: 
Friday, 21 September 2018 - 6:00pm to 10:00pm

On Friday, September 21, 2018 Bitfactory Gallery presents an eagerly anticipated and rare exhibition showcasing the work of Henry Esparza with a focus on Abstract Expressionism.

Henry Esparza - Before passing away this past spring at the age of 67, Esparza created a captivating collection of paintings and evocative collages. Inspired as much by a lifelong love of literature and music -- particularly writers like Rainer Maria Rilke and musicians like John Coltrane -- as spending time appreciating the simplistic beauty of nature, Esparza was a gifted artist who developed a unique and vibrant style.

Over the course of his life, Esparza, a native of the San Francisco area, spent time in Los Angeles, New York, Sante Fe, and Scottsdale, and Denver, where he maintained a pair of studios. Although his work has been shown in many of those cities, the Bitfactory Gallery exhibition will mark the first time his art has been showcased in the Mile-High City.

Opening Reception will be on Third Friday, September 21st and the exhibition runs through Thursday, October 11th, the exhibition will feature a variety of handpicked pieces from the late artist on canvas, wood and paper.

Tadashi Hayakawa - “Henry Esparza came into my life after his death. It has been a wonderful gift to me that I was connected with his wife Sandra, who was searching for a gallery to do a memorial exhibition of Henry’s lifetime of works. Upon seeing his work I was inspired and felt like we were kindred spirits, like brothers in arms with paint brushes and palette knives. His work astonished me and my peer Carlene Francis; and with help of Bill Thomason, Director of Bitfactory Gallery, we feel honored to help make this memorial exhibition happen. Henry and his vibrant, soulful work has made an inspiring impression on my own meaning of being an artist. I am grateful for the presence of Henry’s expressions of his life into my life. I look forward to meeting Henry in heaven soon.”

Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., and by appointment. For additional information please contact Bill Thomason at info@bitfactory.net or (303) 862-9367. 

Curator :

Artist ( Description ): 

Henry Esparza Jr.: The Artist and His Art

February 11, 1951 – May 02, 2018

Henry Esparza a lifelong artist was dedicated to creating work of honor, true to his self and soul. His humility and relentless commitment to giving his full being to the power and truth he lived resonate in his work. Esparza had endless creativity, experimental in form.  He created contemporary mixed media, collage works on canvas, wood and paper. His works created with acrylic paint, plaster, varnish, decomposed granite, branches and collage elements.

“Esparza, who is a master of the collage medium, has developed a style that is passionate, spiritual and formal in his mediums. Esparza's works magnify the poetic essentials of selected ‘found objects,’ which become intensified by the unexpected internal relationships revealed by the juxtaposition of the individual graphic elements or objects.”  He incorporates the decomposed granite, from historical sites, into his paint to create textural compositions that seem to take both a step back and a step forward.

“Esparza is an artist of major expressive power and a master of formal techniques. His color range is vibrant and subdued, yet always elegant, yielding a quiet richness of palette and lending to the sensitivity of each work. The work is graphically strong with a depth of meaning that comes from the risk of directness and simplicity of means. There is a surety in expert handling. Esparza's works are personal dialogues of the mind, eye, and hand, each doing what it does best.”  They are a continuing visual journey of discovery to live in spiritual calm. He needed to be a savior of beauty, savior of silence. His genuine, gentle soul was completely given to the moment, the person, the art with resign of self.  He was compelled by his inner heart to celebrate love and peace as our greatest essential needs and co-exist with nature as it is the only truth to Esparza and he was a part of it. His willingness to take chances has put Esparza in museums, galleries and corporate collections throughout the west, including the San Francisco Mexican Museum and the Highlands Park/Chicago Center of Art Collections.

Henry Esparza, Jr. a native of the San Francisco Bay area in California maintained his final studio in the Denver, Colorado area.  (He received his education at the California College of Arts and Crafts and California State University. While at California State, Hayward, he met and studied under internationally known artist Raymond Saunders. He has also studied Asian, Native American and Mexican cultures.

Esparza’s work is also inspired and enriched from his wealth of knowledge of music, history and poetry.  ESPARZA had studios throughout his life in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, New York City, Denver, CO, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

2017 Statement of Recent Work

“The magic of these works is in the combination of materials.  A pureness and power that announces itself to the soul. “

“Knowing we all leave in white light and we return in white light.”    HE Jr.

Telephone: 
(303) 862-9367
Other Info: 

HENRY ESPARZA Jr.                                               

                                                                                   

February 1951 – May 2018                                           

ESPARZA STUDIO Parker, CO                                                            

EXHIBITIONS and SHOWS

2011                 Esparza Open Studio, Fountain Hills, AZ and Denver, CO

2009/2010         Esparza Open Studio, Fountain Hills, AZ

2008                 Seven-O-Seven Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 

2007                 ‘Tonight’, Nielson Metier Phoenix, AZ

2007                 ‘Tonight’, Seven-O-Seven Gallery, Santa Fe, NM (solo show)

2005/2004         ‘Miniatures’ Calvin Charles Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ

2004                 ‘Shirt Off My Back’

                         Gallery Mornea, Evanston, IL                                    

2004                 ‘The Stillness Whispers’ (Blue Word) (solo show)

                        Calvin Charles Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ (solo show)

2003                 Calvin Charles Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ

2002/01/00        Esparza Annual:  Mixed Media on Paper

                        Musikantow Gallery, New Buffalo, MI/LaPorte, IN

1998/97/96        Esparza’s Contemporary Mixed Media Works on Paper and Canvas (solo show)

                        The Jayne Gallery, Kansas City, MO

1997/1996         Esparza’s Recent Paintings

                        The Artisan’s Gallery, Sedona, AZ

                        Esparza:  Recent Works

                        Arts Center, Fountain Hills, AZ (solo show)

1995                 Esparza and Students, Community Arts Center, Fountain Hills, AZ

1994                 Art Detour, Karen Casey Gallery, Phoenix, AZ

1989                 Looking North

                        Gensler and Associates/Art and Architecture Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

1987                 Salon Des Independants, Richard/Bennett Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

                        West Coast Works on Paper, Reese Bullen Gallery, Humboldt State University, CA 1986  A Survey of Contemporary California Artists

                        Site 311 Gallery, Pacific Grove, CA

                        Flames, Lovers and Shooting Stars (solo show)

                        Site 311 Gallery, Pacific Grove, CA

1984                 Spectrum…A View of Mexican/American Art

                        Mexican Museum, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA

1983                 Third Annual Watercolor and Drawing Survey

                        Humboldt Cultural Center, Humboldt, CA

                        Central California Biennial

                        Pacific Grove Art Center, Pacific Grove, CA

1983/82                         Esparza’s Recent Works (solo show)

                        Collector’s Gallery, Pacific Grove, CA

1982                 Cinco De Mayo Celebration

                        Mexican Museum, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA

 

EDUCATION    California College of Arts and Craft, Oakland, California       

                        California State University, Hayward, California                     

           

BORN:             San Jose, CA

           

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS

                                                Mexican Museum, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA

Michael Mornea, Gallery Mornea, Chicago, IL

Landmark Land Corporation, Carmel 

The Ansel Adams Family

Syntex Laboratories, Palo Alto, CA    

Highland Park Cultural Arts Center, Hyde Park,

Pebble Beach Corporation, Pebble Beach, CA                       

Charles Gruwell and Associates, Monterey, CA         

Gabriela and Jess Knubis, Napa, CA                          

Donna Ames and Associates, San Francisco, CA

Design Professionals Financial Corporation, San Jose, CA   

Deborah O’Hare Estate, Calvin Charles Gallery, Scottsdale   

Christine and Mark McDermott, Scottsdale, AZ

Cindi and Bruce Ruff, Denver, CO

Dr. Yu Ree Hyun, Scottsdale, AZ

Venue ( Address ): 

851 Santa Fe Dr

Denver, CO 80204

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