The University of Denver made the 25th annual Best of Denver issue published by Westword on March 27. The newspaper spends months rating restaurants, retail outlets, sports and recreational opportunities and many other aspects of the Mile High City. Thousands of readers vote for their favorites, too.
This year, Lawrence Argent, a DU professor of art and art history, made the “best of” list twice. The Myhren Gallery also made the list, as did the accomplishments of several of the University’s alumni.
The DU “best of” winners include two in the category of goods and services.
Art Professor Lawrence Argent’s miniature version of the big blue bear, the 40-foot statue outside the Denver Convention Center called “I See What You Mean,” was named Best Colorado Souvenir.
Unity, located at 1455 S. Pearl St., was named Best Green Boutique. The store is lit by energy-efficient light bulbs, uses sustainable materials and donates to charities. Owners are DU alumnae Sarah Hussion (IMBA ’06) and Megan Smith (BSBA ’06).
In the sports and recreation category, Paul Stastny earned the Best Av title. At 22, Stastny leads the team in points, goals and assists. Stastny played for the Pioneers before joining the Avs in 2006. When he left DU, he had 98 career points, scoring 36 goals and registering 62 assists in 81 games. Stastny, who left DU in his junior year, has said he intends to return to the University to complete his degree.
Argent’s other win was in the arts and entertainment category for Best New Public Art — Suburbs. Argent’s “Ghost Trolley” in Aurora, Colo., depicts a single trolley car that was once in use in Denver. The sculpture is 10-feet tall by 20-feet long by 2-feet deep and is made of translucent fiberglass with a frosted-glass finish, which gives it an otherworldly glow. Westword wrote, “The context combines the best of the past and present.”
Another arts and entertainment award went to DU’s Victoria H. Myhren Gallery. It was noted as having the Best Research Project for “Eight Painters & Sculptors.” The exhibit celebrated the work and influence of eight DU art professors who helped bring a diversity of artistic styles and approaches to the regional art scene: Otto Karl Bach, John Billmyer, Marion Buchan, Mina Conant, Vance Kirkland, Arnold Rönnebeck, Louise Emerson Rönnebeck and William Sanderson.