Two New Summer Exhibitions opening on July 4th from 2 to 4 pm at MoF

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Main Exhibit Hall & 2nd Floor Gallery | Museum of Friends | Walsenburg, Colorado

Walsenburg, CO – The Museum of Friends is pleased to present two new retrospective exhibitions opening on July 4, featuring works by:

• Brendt Berger: Beavers of the Huerfano 1970–2025, a deeply personal, process-driven retrospective showcasing over five decades of work by MoF co-founder and visionary artist Brendt Berger.

• Kenny Schneider: Small Works 1966–2018, a collection capturing the creative world of a celebrated public artist and educator.

Both exhibitions will be on view through September 30, 2025.

Brendt Berger: Beavers of the Huerfano 1970–2025

MoF | Main Exhibit Hall

This exhibit features selected works from key periods in Berger’s life and creative evolution. These works chart love, loss, transformation, and the art of beginning again. From the delicate, meditative Birth Book watercolors created during the birth of his daughter Sarah, to bold acrylic explorations painted with government surplus supplies during a period of personal reinvention, the exhibition reveals a life lived through art, with each series offering a visual archive of memory and meaning.

Highlights include:

• Birth Book (1970): a series of 46 watercolors, each one a daily mandala painted during and after the birth of Berger’s first child Sarah, who will be in attendance during the July 4th opening.

• Large-scale abstract paintings created from alkyd and oil enamels in the 1970s and 1980s

• A striking canvas from the Union series (1982), symbolizing partnership through joined panels.

• Selections from the Tapa series (1999–2003), inspired by Hawaiian cultural motifs and a new chapter in love and creativity during his courtship with future wife Maria

• Works reflecting Berger’s journey from Honolulu to Brooklyn, and eventually to Walsenburg, Colorado: home to the Museum of Friends, the inclusive, countercultural museum he co-founded with fellow artist Maria Cocchiarelli.

The title, Beavers of the Huerfano 1970–2025, reflects the arc of Berger’s creative life, once experimental, grounded in deep emotional inquiry, and always reaching into the unknown. This exhibition offers a rare opportunity to view works from Berger’s private collection, many of which have never been shown publicly. Berger will be available for an Artist Talk on Art Public Program on August 2nd from 1 to 3 PM to discuss his life and his work.

Kenny Schneider’s Small Works 1966–2018 exhibition will display the works of an artist who has devoted his life to art making and teaching. The works on view will give the viewer a small glimpse into the creative world of Kenny Schneider. He has combined humor, personal narrative, politics, and an incredible eye for detail to continually share what he sees around him and expertly express how he responds to the stimuli. As a public artist, he has created 12 site-specific public art commissions, and as an art professor, Kenny Schneider has influenced numerous art students throughout the United States. Schneider will be available for an Artist Talk on Art Public Program on July 26th from 1 to 3 PM to discuss his work.

About the Artists:

Brendt Berger is an artist, educator, and co-founder of the Museum of Friends. With a career rooted in social practice, visual experimentation, and a lifelong belief in the transformative power of art, Berger has exhibited internationally and helped shape community-based arts initiatives since the 1960s. He lives and works in Walsenburg, Colorado.

Kenny Schneider is an artist, educator, and founding organizer for the La Veta Creative Districts. He has contributed to the art scene in La Veta for years and taught at the La Veta School of the Arts.

About the Museum of Friends:Founded in 2005 in a former department store in downtown Walsenburg, the Museum of Friends is a contemporary art museum committed to inclusion, community, and socially engaged art. It houses over 4,000 works of contemporary art and offers exhibitions, educational programming, and community outreach that has inspired generations of creative connection and cultural stewardship throughout Huerfano County

Visit:

Museum of Friends

600 Main Street, Walsenburg, CO

Operations: Tuesday–Saturday, 10 AM–4 PM

Admission is free; Suggested $8 donation per person appreciated.

Contact: Museum of Friends719-738-2858

600 Main Street, Walsenburg, CO 81089

www.museumoffriends.org

@mofwalsenburg