Nice to See StevieB: Denver Modernism Show Recap

By StevieB

Last week I was on assignment for MileHighGayGuy.

It was an easy mission, explore the Denver Modernism Show. It was an easy mission, explore the Denver Modernism Show held every August at the odoriferous National Western Stock Show and fairgrounds, and file a report.

My attendance was really a given because my homo-sex-companion-partner had entered his classic car into the Motorama Car Show, and I personally look forward to this annual "mid-century" trade show. 

This year again did not disappoint. Booths filled with mod kitchen appliances, vintage clothes, and 50's inspired hip artists filled the convention center. Our large group quickly splintered as dresses were tried on, mixing bowls tracked down, and me... well... I went straight for the food booths.
After sixteen bucks of pizza, I began my mission. Find something, totally cool to blog about, and the mid-century hipsters didn't disappoint. I stumbled upon classic radios modified to play your iPod.

Any one of these radios would be a great addition to any retro loving nerds Christmas list. These amazingly works of kinetic art were a show stopper for me. The link to buy one of these from PALETTE Contemporary Art & Craft is here. Please Check out their complete listing of modified radios. 

Oh, and our car didn’t win a prize in the car show. Even after Mondo Guerra rubbed his boney ass against the paint job. There is always next year.

Mark your itineraries, the Denver Modernism Show kicks off today

The 7th annual Denver Modernism Show IS FINALLY HERE!

You can buy ALL TICKETS at the door, including VIP packages, and tour tickets. 

 

 

Here is the Event Schedule ( and the reason you really need a Weekend Pass! ):

 

FRIDAY, Aug. 24th:

4:00 - 6:00 pm — Early VIP Admssion 

Hula Girls, Guest Meet & Greet, Early shopping!

 

6:00 - 10:00 pm — Preview Party 

All booths open! Tiki Lounge open! Hula Girls!

 

6:15 – SHAG slideshow: ”Maximal Modernism, or Charles Eames is Rolling in his Grave”

7:00 – Miss Modernism Pageant hosted by Charles Phoenix. Music by reigning Miss Modernism, Atomic Gracie. 

8:00 – 10:00 pm – Sonic Archers - live music for mod people

8:30 – Art Awards selected by David B. Smith – Art Gallery

10:00 – Doors  Close

 

SATURDAY, Aug. 25th:

10:00 am - Doors Open

11:00 am – Mod Fashion Show hosted by Ms. Retro, Alisa Reynolds

12:00 pm – Blast Off! Religious Architecture in the Space Age, with host Boyd Rice

2:00 pm – Daughters of Design with Susan Saarinen, Celia Bertoia and Carla (Eames ) Hartman. Don't miss this rare glimpse into the lives of some of the most Iconic Designers of all time, and these 3 friends compare chairs and childhoods. 

4:00 – 6:00 – Modniks live music!

6:00 pm – Doors Close

 

SUNDAY, Aug. 26th:

11:00 am – Doors Open

11:00 am – 4 pm – Motorama Car Show, hosted by Sunday Afternoon Car Klub (SACK)

11:00 am – 1:00 pm – Cruisin’ Cats Live Music

1:00 pm – SHAG slideshow: “I learned my ABC’s in Waikiki”

2:00 pm – Charles Phoenix Retro Slide Show

4:00 pm – Doors Close

 

Field Trips and After-Parties:

Saturday 6:15 - 11:15 - Charles Phoenix Denverland Tour to Casa Bonita and Lakeside Amusement Park!

$49 ticket includes dinner at Casa Bonita, transportation, Lakeside admission and all gratuities. Bus leaves at 6:15! Buy tickets at our Registraton Desk! ( Only 15 seats left! )

 

Saturday 6pm - 2am - Adrift Tiki Lounge After-Party with drink specials, Exotica DJs. 218 S. Broadway. 

 

Sunday, 1 - 4pm - Harvey Park Modernn Home Tour. Drive yourself or meet at the Harvey Park booth at 1pm to carpool! Tickets $10 - available at the Harvey Park Modern table outside the Tiki Lounge..

Nice to See StevieB: Like a Rainbow

By StevieB

(In honor of this weekend's upcoming Denver Modernism Show 2012, here's a post that originally ran in August of 2010)

Over the weekend we went to the Denver Modernism Show. A trade show dedicated to all things Mid-century architecture and collectibles. We went because well…. We’re gay and it’s the law to like collecting quirky things. If we were twenty years older we would have been searching for the last bit of Erté for our collection at the Art Deco fair. So, in flip-flops and a strong understanding of late Bauhaus we marched.

During our search through chrome home furnishing and ironic art, the six of us started to discuss our childhood involving the Sears or Wards Catalogs. Here in the US you had the Sears Catalog or the Montgomery Ward’s catalogue to buy from. We were Wards.

When I was around eight my Mom took me the catalogue office inside our local Wards' department store. I remember that we were finally going to buy new towels and since there are seven kids, she was going to buy a lot of towels. I remember being so excited to have new towels to fold over and over on the unused towel bar in our heavily used bathroom. Since the plastic tiles in this room were baby blue I thought a nice Sea Foam green would accentuate nicely. As we approached the counter I explained my color palette idea like Candice on Divine Design would sit down with her clients, tossing around the color story I had in mind for this particular room of our over sized ranch house.

Quickly my design expertise was being ignored when my Mother started to order one of every color. “Like a rainbow” she explained. “No!” I shrieked. “How will I be able to folded out an entire splash of color if the towels don’t match?!” I started to panic; my design was being hacked apart. Doesn’t she understand her designer has her bathroom’s color story set?

I did what every eight year old gay boy did. I threw a tantrum in the middle of the Montgomery Ward’s catalogue department screaming that I wanted all matching towels. Candice Olsen would have done the same. She too would have been marched crying to the car.

For years I had to triple fold and hang a green hand towel on top of a red bath towel, which is why to this day I only have all white, Egyptian cotton towels.

This post originally appeared on Steven Bennet's website Nice to See StevieB. Republished with permission.

Denver Modernism Show

The Denver Modernism Show returns next week and it sounds like it's gonna be groovier than ever! Check out some highlights:

 

SHAG Slide Show Titles announced:

Friday, 6:15: "Maximal Modernism, or Charles Eames is Rolling in his Grave"

Sunday, 1:00 - "I Learned my ABC's in Waikiki"

Both shows are FREE with Show admission. 

Full Event Schedule is online HERE!

 

Fun Option 1: Be a VIP for Free Drinks, Reserved Seating and Ego Satisfaction!

Everyone loves to feel like a VIP, and at the Denver Modernism Show, we treat our VIPs right! VIP Privileges this year:

- Get into the show 2 hours early, at 4pm, to score the best deals and get the coolest stuff!

- Your VIP bracelet lets you drink free all Friday night ( one at at time, please ), so you can arrive whenever you want!

- We'll have Reserved Seating for you at our Events! Arrive at least 5 minutes prior to show time, or the seats will be open to the public.

- VIP Parking is FREE from 4 - 6pm on Friday!

- Includes Weekend Pass!

$45 ticket.  BUY TICKETS HERE. 

 

Fun Option 2: Enter the Miss Modernism Pageant to win a $500 Shopping Spree and trip to Palm Springs Modernism Show!

To enter, hit REPLY and send your name, city, why you want to be Miss Modernism and a photo to Dana. 

- SHAG has agreed to be one of our judges this year!

- Win a $500 gift Certificate to spend at ANY BOOTH at the Show!

- Win VIP Status for LIFE!

- Win a paid trip to represent us at Palm Springs Modernism Week in February ( Must be able to go in order to win. )

- More Details and a photo slideshow of past Miss Modernism Contestants is online HERE!

 

Other Updates:

- Tickets are going fast for the Saturday evening Charles Phoenix Denverland Bus Tour to Casa Bonita and Lakeside Amusement Park! $49 includes transportation, dinner at Casa Bonita, Lakeside admission and all gratuities! Limit of 56 people can fit on the bus! Buy Tickets HERE!

 

- After the tour, stop by the new Adrift Tiki Lounge, 218 S. Broadway, for a Denver Modernism After-Party with drink specials and Exotica DJs, until 2am. No cover. 

 

Things to do in Denver when you're gay: Denver Modernism Show

The Denver Modernism Show has become an annual favorite, and one of the only indoor art festivals in town. Every year the event draws more out-of-town buyers and this year, we hear the Palm Springs contingency is bigger than ever!  

Artist SHAG (Josh Agle) returns for 2012, as a special guest.