In celebration of 25 years in business, the Show of Hands Gallery in Cherry Creek North is hosting “Give Us a Hand,” a traveling art exhibit and auction. It will benefit the Helen B. Davis Endowed Scholarship of the Women’s College at DU.
The show will open on June 21, running from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. The auction will begin online atwww.showofhandsdenver.com. The show at the Show of the Hands Gallery, 210 Clayton St., runs through June 28.
Sixty-five artists from around the U.S. and Canada each embellished a 14-inch wooden hand template, working in fiber, clay, metal, wood and mixed media.
The hands also will be on display at the Cherry Creek Arts Festival from July 3–6; the TACTile: Textile Arts Center in Englewood from July 9–31 and the Boulder Arts and Crafts Gallery Aug. 6–Sept. 4.
The show will be installed in the Hirschfeld Gallery at the Chambers Center for the Advancement of Women on the University of Denver campus, where it will be on display from Sept. 7–24.
The exhibit will close on Sep. 24 with a reception at the Hirschfeld Gallery honoring Helen Davis, participating artists and the Show of Hands Gallery.
Davis was the head of the art department of the Colorado Women’s College from 1962–71, and she ran the Boulder Valley School District’s art program from 1971–76. She’s been an exhibiting artist, curator, juror and lecturer. She helped develop the Boulder Arts Commission and what is now the Colorado Council of Art and Humanities.
Knowing of her passion for women’s education and her interest in DU — she received her doctorate in education from the University — her artist friends approached the Women’s College about creating a scholarship in Davis’ honor. They raised more than $80,000 to endow the Helen B. Davis Scholarship, which is awarded each year to a student who demonstrates high academic achievement and passion for life.
Douglas Brugger, co-owner of the Show of Hands Gallery, envisioned the show as a way to honor Davis, provide community outreach and celebrate the gallery’s anniversary.
“Helen has helped mentor so many artists throughout the state,” says Brugger. “Because it is our 25th anniversary, we wanted to do something to give back to the community that supported us — Helen and her affiliation with the Women’s College was a perfect fit.”