BY SHALEEN DESTEFANO

When you are forced into situations of social distancing, you become profoundly aware of the human need to lean on others both figuratively and physically. It’s not shocking that the people of Denver have found ways to spread hope and joy in the community, in an effort to maintain a level of positivity while reminding us that each day has a new sense of promise. 

Project Spread Hope 

Since 2015 Denver artist Koko Bayer has installed thousands of temporary outdoor works. Ranging from foot-long prints to large murals, her goal is to “adorn, engage and educate.” As the current crisis unfolded she wanted to create an image to help people feel better. “I started thinking about what has that effect on me? Topping the list is the color yellow. I love how It amplifies light and mood. It shows up all the time in my work, usually paired with magenta and called “pink lemonade” I love how visible and visually uplifting it is and the way it resonates with viewers.” “The heart, symbolizing the self or spirit, also shows up often in my work. In this print, it represents love, optimism, and empathy. As does the word “hope.” I chose my grandfather Herbert Bayer”s landmark “font universal” for its clarity.” She began pasting her “Pink Lemonade Hope” print around Denver (pictured on previous page) in early April. Since then she’s installed over 60 on businesses and institutions in Denver, Boulder, and Evergreen including The Denver Botanic Gardens, Dairy Center for the Arts, and the Evergreen Center for the Arts. “The response has been so gratifying. I love hearing that the image has brightened someone’s day. I’ve installed 3’x3’, 6’x6’ and 9’x9’ versions and I just completed a 12’x12’ on the Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities.” “All my prints are biodegradable and are installed with a plant-based paste that can easily be removed with water.” If you have a high visibility location for a print, please contact Koko at kokombayer@gmail.com or from her Instagram at @kokonofilter.

Jazz in the Park

Denver saxophonist/flutist Joe Anderies is constantly pushing the boundaries between jazz performance, music education, and the spectrum of performing and visual arts. He also happens to be our Wash Park neighbor, for the last five years. 

“I grew up in Grand Junction, started my big dive into music at Mesa College, now Colorado Mesa U. Studied also at North Texas State (now UNT) and did my Music Ed degrees at Metro and CU Boulder (Masters). I taught in Douglas County Schools until retiring 8 years ago but went back 3 years ago to teach Band and music at the Alexander Dawson School in Lafayette. Performing wise, I helped found the group IMAGES back in the early 80’s, played and recorded a lot with Rob Mullins, and have continued leading my own groups and collaborations around the Front Range, performing often at Dazzle and other venues. I am currently on the Board of Directors of the amazing youth jazz mentoring organization Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts (CCJA). I continue to teach clinics, private lessons and jazz camps mostly in Colorado.”

As warmer evenings emerged, but we were all still on lockdown orders, with no hope of ever listening to live music again, Joe decided to bring his art outside on his front porch.

“The porch concert idea seemed to come to the surface during the couple of spring break weeks where I was preparing, along with my fellow teaching staff members, to get ready for remote teaching. With the full–on Quarantine going and my many musician friends losing their entire work, I thought it would be uplifting to keep music resounding in the neighborhood especially some kind of live music.” 

Joe’s neighbors quickly fell in love with the idea, and it was an obvious and necessary uplifting experience.

“I would love to continue doing this. I have generally been performing once a week, but there is no set schedule. Likely it will be a bit less in these next summer months with travels to the mountains, and I may need to think about going later in the evening if it starts getting too hot around the normal 5 pm time.

The theme of giving hope in the midst of COVID has been running stronger and stronger in all of the jazz musician’s communities as well as in my lay Buddhist (SGI) organization. The idea is that sparks of hope and creativity ignite others to action and inspires courage to take steps forward instead of feeling morose and trapped by the situation. Many neighbors and people who have happened by here have commented similar statements and this inspires me to keep it up.”

Mask Makin’ Mama

Our dear friend Courtney Lupe has been sewing for years and at one point even owned her own children’s clothing line and boutique on South Pearl Street named Bella Sera Baby. So, naturally, all of her friends came to her with requests for masks. 

This was at the height of the pandemic.  People were dying by the thousands, kids were quarantined to their houses, stores were closed, and life was all around heavy.  So heavy. Courtney is known for her giving spirit, so she got to work, and refused payment for her labors. “When my friends offered to pay me for the masks, the idea came to me, that I could sew masks for donations to a charity. I chose Frontline Foods Denver, an organization that provided meals from local restaurants to frontline workers.”  

Thanks to the generosity of our community, Courtney made over 300 masks and over $4000 for Frontline Foods in a matter of three weeks. 

“When I reflect on this now, I realize that the biggest gift I received from this experience, is knowing that when my children Atticus (17), Boden (15), and Bryce (9) look back at this time in their lives they will remember their mom sitting at the dining room table every night after work, trying to make a difference in any way that she could.”

A Little Kindness Goes A Long Way

Local nonprofit organization, A Little Help, needs no introduction. But if you’re new here, they work tirelessly to connect neighbors to help older adults thrive. This time of isolation can have a devastating effect on our senior neighbors living alone. The good people of A Little Help have designed “Kindness Kits” to help share neighborly spirit. “We want our older adults to know we’re thinking of them during these difficult times. We’re asking volunteers to put together Little Kindness Kits to show our older adults they’re in our thoughts and we care about them. Kits can include activities that older adults can do while they’re staying safe at home and can be assembled from things you may have around the house or could add to your next grocery run at a small cost. Feel free to use your imagination!”

Here are some ideas of things to include in your kit:

• Handwritten notes/cards- we’re thinking about you and hope you’re staying well

• Drawings from children

• Jigsaw puzzles

• Adult coloring books

• Crossword/sudoku puzzles

• Magazines

• Books you’ve read and want to share

• Art materials–sketch pads, colored pencils, etc.

• A stamped envelope with your address if you’re comfortable providing it so the older adult can write a thank you note if they choose OR just a stamped envelope to pay it forward

• Fresh cut flowers from your garden

Kits can be put together in a reusable grocery bag, shipping box, etc. and can be simple/not costly. Please contact A Little Help to include their notes with valuable contact information for our senior neighbors. 

At the end of very long days, with less than uplifting headlines, we are grateful for the comfort of knowing we can turn to our community for support in the way of art, hope and love.