Wednesday, January 20, 2016

walking rino: street art with theo


I’ve got two little wildlings, Otis and Theo. We spend a lot of quality time together as a group, but it’s incredibly rare that I get to have one-on-one time with either one of them. So the other day, upon realizing that Otis had class and Theo’s school was closed, I decided to take Theo on a special adventure-- just the two of us. I toyed with the idea of journeying up to the mountains for a hike near Kenosha Pass, but then decided it would be fun to stay in the city and put on our explorer caps since we have plans to see fall foliage for the next three weekends…


Of course I had to seize the moment and catch up on some overdue appointments too, so before we took off on our local adventure, I took Theo to the doctor for a wellness check-up. In hindsight that might not have been the best way to start off our special day, for it was temporarily marred by the 4-year-old vaccination schedule. But eventually he stopped crying, and the experience led us to have an interesting conversation about viruses. It also helped us choose our word of the day: “antibodies.”


As a reward for displaying courage and good behavior (all things considered), I treated Theo to a chocolate croissant. He was amazed by its construction and started yelling, “There’s a real live chocolate bar right in the very middle of my treat? It’s real live!! Isn’t that amazing, mommy?” Oh that Theo. He’s got “a million sweet tooths” and is truly a little boy after my own heart. Not wanting to leave the coffee shop without something savory, I grabbed two spinach empandas before we set out in the direction of the RiNo Arts District…








Now I’ve blogged about the ever-changing RiNo before. It’s a neighborhood that houses some of Denver’s best restaurants, bars and coffee shops. It’s also the epicenter of the city’s best street art, and there’s lots of it. The new murals are spectacularly detailed and there brand new pieces thanks to #COCrush15 which took place last weekend. Some of my RiNo favorites include works from artists Mariano Padillo, Jaime Molina, Mike Martinez, Hollis & Lana, David Shillinglaw, Scott Albrecht, Hyland Mather, Mike Graves, Blaine Fontana, Robin Munro, Sandra Fettingis, Jake Mertens, Lolo YS, Jeremy Burns and Max Kauffman*…just to name a few.  

(*As I was about to enter Max’s art house I noticed that Theo was starting to get sleepy, so I’ll be back to check it out next week.)

I’ve always been a big fan of street art, but it wasn’t until my friend Risa and I had a conversation about its larger importance that I fully began to understand how beneficial and inspirational it is. You see, I’ve always appreciated street murals from a beautification angle; they provide design, color, and art to a wall that would normally be vacant or plastered with tacky advertisements.

But street art also holds a second (more important) purpose. Namely, it makes art accessible to everyone: to parents with work schedules that are incompatible with museum hours; to children who don’t have easy access to art or transportation; to neighborhoods that are often underserved when it comes to public investments. In short, street art can inspire a creative force in almost anyone, regardless of income.

It also makes for a really great one-on-one adventure….

Enjoy!
xx,
Batya







 












 

For more info, check out this column and this column by Lindsey Bartlett.

Overheard Theoisms:
“Those guys have coffee bean heads. That’s silly, so very silly.”
“…and then these octopuses were fighting bad guys- the Storm Troopers- before they were beamed back up to space. Yes, that’s what it’s about…”
“Hey, why is that man walking a fish with a dog’s leash? That’s hilarious.”
“Mommy, do you think we can keep a pet giraffe in our garage?”
“I’m going to show them my sword of justice. Then they will know I’m a superhero.”
“These leaves look pretty, but they’re not real. At least they don’t look real to me.”
“Torchic (Pokemon doll) told me this was the best tour ever. Hey, Torchic sounds like tour.”
“Is this where the natural gas comes from? I want to see it.”
“That silly monkey is playing games with me. He’s a funny guy.”
"Please can I go in here? (Closed Populist garden) I promise not to trespass."

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8 comments:

  1. Incredible photos, great narrative and amusing Theoisms

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    1. Thanks, Grandma Ellen! We had a wonderful time. Special adventures await Otis in October (he has days off that Theo doesn't). Love to all.

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  2. Batya, this IS the best post yet! What beautiful images of your little guy. He's gotten so big! You're such an inspiring mother. This gives me ideas and it won't cost me a fortune either. Three cheers for street art! -Paula

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    1. Thank you, thank you, thank you! That's really nice to hear. We had such a great time together (and full disclosure: not every day runs so smoothly :) Between the hiking options, open space, playgrounds, museums and the arts- I'd say Colorado is a pretty great place for kids! Have fun, Paula!

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  3. BIG FAT HEARTMELT. <333 I never really thought I wanted children.. and then I met you. You are something else, woman; a total inspiration. Otis and Theo are so lucky to have you as their ma.

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    Replies
    1. That is the nicest thing I've ever heard, Ashlae! THANK YOU! Though you might change that sentiment if you saw me on Sunday... upon discovering a trail of post-Halloween candy wrappers all over the floor. Theo "discovered" his "collection bags" in the laundry room and went to town. Then he told me "it was a big huge mistake" because "the sugar bugs are eating away at his soft enamel." I was fit to be tied! See you super soon. xx

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