Guys & Art

I attended another gay networking event last night. This time it was held at the Clifford Still Museum. It was a handsome, well dressed crowd, which thankfully, had more women in attendance this time. I think a mix of men and women makes the event more interesting. Once again, I felt like a stranger in my own town. I only knew a few people in the crowd. I can appreciate a room full of good looking men and beautiful women but I have to admit I was more interested and moved by the art.

Clifford Still was a leader in the first generation of abstract expressionists. His contemporaries included Motherwell, Rothko, Pollock and de Kooning. Denver was blessed when it was chosen to be the home for this museum.

I met Sam and Al at the museum. They had already toured the galleries and were not impressed with the art. This did not surprise me. Al is a new friend so I don’t know a lot about his likes and tastes. Sam only likes representational art. Most of the art in his house features an elephant, or some other wildlife, and appears to be selected because it matches the décor of the room. Sam isn’t the type of person who goes outside the box and Still’s art never stayed within the lines of social norms for the times.

Sam and Al headed to the bar another round of drinks so I toured the galleries upstairs. I can’t find the words to describe how and why I was moved by the monumental paintings in the galleries. They were breathtaking. The use of a few colors along with positive and negative spaces produced spectacular masterpieces. Even the smaller works were impressive in their simplicity and color palate. I could have stayed upstairs all night but I returned downstairs to meet up with the guys.

I ran into a couple of people I met at previous networking events. Conversations were short as most of the guys seemed to want to work the room. I chatted with a guy who I’d seen at the gym before I left. He was a nice guy but I was getting tired so I bid him adieu around eight. Sam and Al had already left.

It felt great to get out of the house for a midweek art fix, a cocktail and a little socializing. It’s hard to beat hot guys, pretty women and great art.