National Exhibitions
Windows to the Divine® Exhibitions have been held every other year in Denver since 1999.
Venues have included the Denver Center for Performing Arts (1999-2007), the MADDEN Museum (2009-2011), ArtHaus (2014), Space Gallery (2016 & 2018), Space Gallery Annex (2020), and The Salmagundi Club in New York City (2017).
View Photos of Past Windows National Exhibitions
- Space Gallery Annex in Denver in 2020
- Space Gallery in Denver in 2018
- Space Gallery in Denver 2016
- ArtHaus in Denver 2014
- The MADDEN Museum 2011
- The MADDEN Museum 2009
Collectors for Connoisseurship
In 2015, Windows to the Divine launched Collectors for Connoisseurship (C4C), a new national network for collectors and artists. C4C members engage and interact through online experiences and special events such as the C4C Denver Arts Weekend held in November of 2015 that included:
- C4C Renaissance of Realism National Symposium held at the Denver Art Museum
- Renaissance of Realism Exhibition held at Denver’s Gallery 1261; and
- Inaugural Gathering of the Founding Connoisseurs held at the home of Founding Connoisseurs, Pete & Marilyn Coors in Denver.
In 2016, the C4C Arts Weekend Schedule of Events included:
- Gala Opening of Windows to the Divine Exhibition: Abstraction & Representation: Finding Common Ground;
- C4C Abstraction & Representation: Finding Common Ground National Symposium held at Space Gallery which featured:
- Presentation by Dr. Gwen Chanzit, Curator of Modern Art and the Herbert Bayer Collection and Archive at the Denver Art Museum and Professor of the Practice and Director of Museum Studies in Art History at the University of Denver: “The Development of Abstraction: A Brief Sampling from Cézanne to Pollock”
- Presentation by Shannon Robinson, Chairperson of C4C: “From Abstraction to Contemporary Realism”
- Panel Discussion re: Exhibition Theme: Albert Handell (2016 Fra Angelico Artist of the Year), Dan Jacobs, University of Denver, Director of Victoria Myhren Gallery and Michael Paglia, art critic for Westword
- Joint Presentation by Ron Hicks & Michael Gadlin: ” Unlikely Pair”
- Exclusive Tour by Director Dean Sobel for Founding Connoisseurs of Clyfford Still Collection and Cocktail Party held at the museum residence of F/C’s, Sharon & Lanny Martin;
- Private Screening of Agnes Martin Before the Grid held at Space Gallery
In April of 2017, C4C hosted an exclusive Curator Tour and Program for the Masterworks Exhibition of the Mower Collection which featured:
- Viewing of Masterworks Exhibition showcasing works from the Morton and Tobia Mower private collection with major paintings by Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Sisley, Cassatt, Degas, Chagall, and Leger as well as selected Rodin sculptures.
- “Curatorial Picks” by Exhibition Curator Simon Zalkind
- “Curator Conversation with the Mowers”
- Art History Presentation by Dr. Molly Medakovich from the Denver Art Museum about Impressionism and its legacy in the context of the Mower Collection.
In June of 2017, in collaboration with the Clark Hulings Fund and Space Gallery, C4C hosted the first annual Artists’ Business Forum to provide practical advice to artists about the global art market and how to individually and collectively connect with art industry players to ensure the success and sustainability of their businesses. The Forum featured:
- “The Changing Global Art Market and the Future of the Professional Artist” by Shannon Robinson
- “Make Yourself Central” by Elizabeth Hulings
- “Harness Your Marketing Power” by Daniel DiGriz
- “Leading the Charge” by Nephi Nevin
In October of 2017, the C4C Arts Weekend was held in NYC (Schedule of Events) and included:
- C4C National Symposium: Patronage and Collecting: Then & Now at The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Opening of Revelry & Revelation: Realism Today Exhibition at The Salmagundi Club
In May of 2018, the C4C Arts Weekend was held in Denver (Schedule of Events) and included:
- Opening of Impressions, Markings & More at Space Gallery
- Exclusive Founding Connoisseur Collector Brunch & Tour hosted by Sally Duncan
- Impressions Salon at Space Gallery featuring Degas to McCaw presentation by Shannon Robinson and a Conversation with the McCaw Family with Dan McCaw, John McCaw and Danny McCaw
In May of 2018, C4C collectors traveled to Paris for the Americans in Paris Exhibition (Schedule of Events) and included:
- Special Tour and Lecture by Dominque Sennelier of Historic Sennelier Art Supplies Store (supplier for the Impressionists)
- Tour & Lunch at Musee d’Orsay
- Americans in Paris Exhibition at L’Oeil du Prince Gallery
- Train to Chatou and private tour of Museum Fournaise and Lunch at La Fournaise
- Rodin Museum and Musee Jacquemart-Andre
In 2018, Shannon Robinson composed and presented Windows to the Divine: Sacred Art Thru the Ages to a number of Catholic organizations and Christian nonprofits such as The Downing House. In 2019-2020, she composed and presented “Sacred to Secular Art: Tracing the History of Western Christian Art” to arts-related organizations. This video presentation was launched on this website in July of 2020 and made available to the public.
In November of 2019, C4C collectors traveled to Atlanta and Savannah for the C4C Arts Weekend which included:
- Private Tour of Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) Atlanta Campus
- Private Tour of Exhibition, Fashioning Art from Paper, Isabelle de Borchgrave, SCAD Museum of Film & Fashion
- Exclusive Receptions & Tours of Homes and Private Collections of Atlanta Collectors
- Private Tours of Savannah Historic District and SCAD Savannah Campus
- Exclusive Reception & Tour of Home & Private Collection of Savannah Collector
In November of 2020, the exhibition Contemporary Visions of Beauty was held at the new Space Gallery Annex in Denver. Due to COVID, the C4C events were limited only to the exhibition. Remarkably, the exhibition sales were among the best in the Foundation’s history with sales of works by Blair Atherholt, Jill Basham, Daniel Bilmes, Stephanie Birdsall, Greg Block, Michelle Dunaway, Scott Fraser, Ann Gargotto, Ron Gerbrandt, Ulrich Gleiter, Albert Handell, Quang Ho, Jane Hunt, Carol Jenkins, Brendan Johnston, Andrea Kemp, Kyle Ma, David W. Mayer, Dan McCaw, Danny McCaw, John McCaw, Ned Mueller, C.W. Mundy, Desmond O’Hagan, Ron Richmond, Don Sahli, Adrienne Stein and Vincent Xeus.
In September of 2021, C4C hosted its first “Beauty Thru Art Collector Legacy Sale” in Evergreen, CO. The special Collector Legacy Sale included more than 60 works donated by our collector members. The purpose of the sale was to create an opportunity for our collector members to deaccession works from their collections for a worthy cause and make art collecting more accessible to new collectors by offering works at significant one-time discounts. The sale was well received with more than 90% of the works being sold particularly to new collectors with a strong response by younger professionals who were acquiring art for the first time.
View Photos of Past C4C Events
- 2015 National Symposium, Gala Opening of Realism Exhibition & Inaugural Gathering (Collector Brunch)
- 2016 Gala Opening of Abstraction & Representation: Finding Common Ground Exhibition
- 2017 Mower Masterworks Exhibition & Program
- 2017 Artists’ Business Forum
- 2017 C4C Arts Weekend in NYC with Symposium at The Metropolitan Museum
- 2018 C4C Arts Weekend in Denver
- 2018 Americans in Paris Trip
- 2019 C4C Arts Weekend in Atlanta and Savannah
- 2020 Contemporary Visions of Beauty Exhibition
Paint Outs
In June of 2019, Windows to the Divine launched a new neighborhood by neighborhood campaign called “Beauty Thru Art Plein Air Invitational“ with the goal of engaging communities and inspiring them to become collectors. Through pre-event educational programming (presentations to neighborhood garden clubs) and by inviting artists of renown to paint the private gardens of neighborhood residents, the Paint Out which was held in Bow Mar, CO, was a great success with 36 of the 39 works painted on site selling within minutes! Artists also exhibited studio works which also had strong sales. 2019 Art Catalogue
In 2009, 2010 and 2012, the Foundation also hosted Windows to the Divine Paint Outs at sites of exceptional natural beauty in the Rocky Mountains and in the Denver Botanic Gardens and Washington Park.
View Photos of Past Paint Outs
- Beauty Thru Plein Air 2019
- “Altitude & Attitude” Paint Out 2012
- Windows to the Divine® Paint Out 2010
- Windows to the Divine® Paint Out 2009
