{"id":500,"date":"2009-11-19T13:09:26","date_gmt":"2009-11-19T20:09:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/allentuppertrueanamericanartist.com\/?p=500"},"modified":"2009-11-19T13:09:26","modified_gmt":"2009-11-19T20:09:26","slug":"nbc-ch-9-in-denver-reviews-true-exhibit-at-chm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allentuppertrueanamericanartist.com\/?p=500","title":{"rendered":"NBC CH 9 in Denver Reviews True Exhibit at CHM"},"content":{"rendered":"

Copied from www.9news.com<\/span><\/p>\n

DENVER – The Colorado History Museum has put together a wonderful exhibit, featuring artist Allen True.\u00a0 In the early 1900’s, True painted murals\u00a0as public art projects, all over the city.<\/p>\n

He also painted murals in private homes and as public art in other states.<\/p>\n

True’s works are right in front of us to this day, although many people never notice. They are Denver’s hidden murals.<\/p>\n

You can see Allen True’s murals at Civic Center Park.\u00a0Tucked into the stately columns and stonework of the Greek Theater, are two murals painted in 1919.\u00a0 They reflect the times;\u00a0 prospectors, trappers and miners.<\/p>\n

Alisa Zahller, who put together the exhibit at the Colorado History Museum, says True painted the west as he knew it, as he had seen it, and as he had experienced it.<\/p>\n

Zahller found dozens of True paintings for the exhibit.\u00a0Before he did big murals, he painted the scenes\u00a0as mural studies – rough drafts if you will.\u00a0 They now hang on the museum’s walls and are beautiful in their own right.\u00a0 The studies\u00a0feature not only existing murals, but also works\u00a0that have been destroyed.\u00a0 For instance, True once painted murals for the old Continental Oil Company building on Glenarm.\u00a0 It was torn down in 1976, and only the mural studies remain.<\/p>\n

Possibly the most famous True murals decorate the rotunda of the Colorado state capitol.\u00a0They tell the story of water in Colorado.\u00a0When the state ran out of money and couldn’t pay True the $12,000 to finish the project, philanthropist Claude Boettcher stepped up and the\u00a0they were completed in 1940.<\/p>\n

Some of True’s most spectacular murals are in the lobby of the now empty Colorado National Bank building at 17th and Champa. They show his vision of Native American life, from young to old to life along the way.<\/p>\n

Zahller says True was one of the most prolific artists in the country, but many people have never heard of him.\u00a0She says it is because of his personality.<\/p>\n

“He was great at selling himself and getting commissions, but he wasn’t so great at saying look at me as the artist,” she said.<\/p>\n

Now, years after his death, we get a chance to look at True as the artist.\u00a0This exhibit pays tribute to his talent and legacy which is long overdue.<\/p>\n

The “Allen True” exhibit runs at the Colorado History Museum through next spring.\u00a0Parts of it are also featured at the Denver Art Museum and Denver Public Library main branch.<\/p>\n

“Colorado Heritage Magazine” has listed a number of places where you can see Allen True murals.<\/p>\n

Among them:\u00a0Denver Public Library central branch, Civic Center Park, Qwest building downtown, Colorado State Capitol, South High School, Brown Palace, Phipps Tennis House, Denver Unniversity, Denver City and County Building, Wyoming State Capitol, Montana National Bank, Colorado Springs Nursery School, Missouri State Capitol and the Colorado National Bank building in Denver (now closed).<\/p>\n

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