JOYENGINE: cause sharing is cool

This was Denver’s first year hosting ARTCRANK and we came out strong! HUGE turnout, bikes everywhere, fashion show, crazy-ass marching band and over 40 posters from some of Colorado’s freshest artists. We made the trek from Boulder via bus / bike (bus to Wadsworth, bike from there), riding with Collin (Quickleft), Dan (Retail Sprout/Hi! Local), and Big Grant (Sid Factor Seven).

You can check out all of our photos over on our Flickr, but here are a select few. Big ups to the Wills Fam for hosting the whole shebang, to Charles (who started ARTCRANK back in MN 4 years ago) and Rob & Celeste who made the long trip back for the show. We miss you guys already.

Until next year.

Scot Lefavor's awesome & massive hand painted paste up (morning of Artcrank)

Crowd-swell inside Neopolitan

Dea & Dave's Plastic Chapel was packed all night!!! Toys and bikes - so amazing.

The Fabric Lab was slammed all night as Tran handled poster purchases.

Dea & Dave's Schwinn Crates

Not really much room to move - at all.

The BLOCK in full effect. Denver knows how to party - arty.

And some of our favs… Alex had to fight the crowd to get pics so we couldn’t get ‘em all.

Scot Lefavor w/ help from master pressman Chris Huth (note: metallic ink)

Mike Scarano (detail) Letterpressed by Brett Lareau at "Birks & Birks Letterpress"

Mike Scarano (detail) Letterpressed by Brett Lareau at "Birks & Birks Letterpress"

RAFA JENN (detail) w/ Indyink on press

John Fellows

Markham "Shitty Kitten" Maes (detail) - illustration, design, and press. Yeah Shitty!!!

Chris Nguyen (detail) - Awesome.

Ray Young Chu as Chule (detail) - Stencil

Aaron Ray design and hand pull

ARTCRANK – A poster party for bike people goes down tonight!!! And it’s gonna be a blast – Originally started in Minneapolis, ARTCRANK has come to Denver for it’s first year thanks to the super block (The Shoppe, Fabric Lab, Neopolitan, and Plastic Chapel). 40+ of Denvers finest artists offering work all under $40. Live music, trick competitions, give-aways, + a ton more bike centric goodness.  Show up and party!!!

Scot Lefavor for ARTCRANK Denver

Indyink a little torn up... Of the roughly 50 artists on board for ARTCRANK Denver 2009 Indyink handled the printing of 24 poster designs comprised of over 50 individual color screens in just 10 days and all after hours - all as near to perfection as one can get with hand pulled screen printing. Fuck Yeah.

Celeste is Dope – and so is the lab

Andenken Gallery will be hosting their Anniversary Show on December 13th.  The show will feature the work of Elbow-Toe, the Date Farmers, Adam Wallacavage, Cherri Wood, Scot Lefavor (who will also be showing at the Fabric Lab the very same evening), Amanda Marie, Ravi Zupa, and some other yet to be announced additions.  The 13th is gonna be one damn arty night in Denver.  Make sure you’ve got time to get around.

Toys are at least equally important to grown-ups as they are kids… On Saturday March 8th the Denver creative community rallied to support their own. Dea and Dave Webb(artists, toy collectors and owners of the Plastic Chapel), and Josh and Tran Wills(Super dynamic art & design duo and owners of the Shoppe and the Fabric Lab) compiled their collective creative forces to play host to one helluvah kick frikin’ ass DIY custom toy show. The 3100 block of East Colfax, more commonly known now-a-days as “The Block” was home to a stellar plastic inspired party. With over 120 custom toy entries all 3 shops were fully stocked. Folks of all ages and all sorts were out soaking up the vinyl love and the peeps participating were all mega amp’d. There was way too many artists involved to rattle off a list of names and the subsequent expected urls, so the pics (and they could be better) we’ll have to do. You’ll know who did what upon closer inspection… The Denver art scene is booming with definitive styles now more easily recognized than ever. On behalf of those of us at the Engine, we’d like to thank those who “run the block” for really steppin’ the game up and continuing to provide the creative arena they so wholeheartedly do. Word up to that shit.

Our pals at The Plastic Chapel, The Shoppe, and The Fabric Lab… perhaps better known as the “BLOCK” will be doing what they do best, teaming up, and playing host to what we’re certain is gonna be a straight up rippin’ DIY designer toy show. Yeah, we know, kick-frickin-ass! The show is gonna be March 8th at 7pm on the 3100 block of East Colfax. Entries are open to all interested parties. Registration is $5. All entries must be in by March 1st. There’s only one requirement, your “canvas” should be a toy. We happen to know some ambitious folks who’ll be designing their own, but for those not so inclined, take your pick… Munny, Qee, Be@rbrick, Trexi, Gosho, Sqwert, Teddy Trooper, etc.. the list goes on and on. There’ll be booze, tasty treats, and all sorts of great shit. Get with the program and sign up soon.

GUERILLA FASHION SHOWS + SOCIAL COMMENTARY ART SHOW

Start the evening off on the move… In MONSTER trucks… Guerilla fashion shows + First Friday art shows @ 4 locations. (Indy Ink, Capsule Gallery, Plastic Chapel, The Fabric Lab)

GUERILLA FASHION SHOW DROP OFF LOCATIONS + TIMES:
7:00 PM – INDY INK (Fashion show in front of the store)
84 SOUTH BROADWAY :: 720.937.9722 :: WWW.INDYINK.COM :: Featured Artist – IKON

8:00 PM – CAPSULE GALLERY (Fashion show in front of the gallery) 554 SANTA FE DRIVE :: 303.623.3460 :: Featured Event – MONKEY SEE MONKEY DO: A D.I.Y. CARNIVAL

9:00 PM – 12:00 AM – THE FABRIC LAB + PLASTIC CHAPEL (Fashion show in front of both stores) 3105 EAST COLFAX :: Fashion Show :: Art Show

9:00 PM – 12:00 AM – PLASTIC CHAPEL Grand Re-Opening on COLFAX!!! 3109 EAST COLFAX :: WWW.PLASTICCHAPEL.COM :: Featured Artist – RYAN RISS

9:00 PM – 12:00 AM – THE FABRIC LAB Celebrating 5 Years holding strong on COLFAX!!! GLORIFICATION” Social Commentary Art Show, Featured Artists – GEOFF THOMAS :: DAVE SCHELL :: CAT PARTY LETS GO MIKE GRAVES :: ROBBIE MAESTAS :: JAMES GARDINER :: JOSH WILLS :: CHRIS NGUYEN :: AND MORE!!!!! DJ Shannon Von Kelly will be in the Cage for yet another pulse bending round of beats sure to massage your apple bottoms.

SPONSERS:
PBR :: MONSTER ENERY DRINKS :: IZZE SPARKLING SODA :: TASTY TREATS PROVIDED BY EMMA ROSE CAKES PLASTIC CHAPEL :: INDY INK :: CAPSULE GALLERY + EVENT CENTER :: JOY ENGINE :: KATELYN SIMKINS: MAKE-UP :: BIG HAIRY MONSTER: HAIR

The Fabric Lab