Honoring the lives of artists and creators

Indigenous comic and arts festival comes to Denver June 9-11

BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Marcos Garibay fondly remembers his grandmother’s ofrenda. It was a traditional ofrenda permanently in the home — his grandmother kept it on her bedroom dresser. e ofrenda was covered with pictures of Catholic gures, dozens of candles and countless colorful plastic owers.

An ofrenda is an ornate altar often found in Catholic, Mexican and Indigenous Mesoamerican cultures. It honors loved ones who have died.

Even as a child, Garibay knew he would one day make his own ofrenda. And now an adult, Garibay has put his own, modern twist on the traditional ofrenda — he has an entire wall in his Denver home dedicated to the memorial. Honoring his mother who he lost at a young age, Garibay’s ofrenda has photos of passed loved ones surrounded by vibrant, colorful frames. Silk and plastic owers also dot the wall and bright lights are strung throughout. He also has framed newspaper clippings that have detailed some of his most tragic losses.

As he grew to further embrace his Indigenous cultural traditions, Garibay cultivated a love for art and creativity. He now dedicates his life to art and to making positive changes within his community as the program director for the Denver-based after school lm production company, Tomorrow Maker Studios.

“Celebrating Indigenous art is very important to me and my work because it’s a way to reclaim and honor something that was lost and taken from me,” Garibay said. “I grew up in a very culturally rich environment, but for the most part, most of the aspects of that culture are things that are a result of Spanish colonization.”

Spanish isn’t the language his ancestors spoke, and Catholicism isn’t the religion they practiced, Garibay said.

“ e architecture people typically associate with Mexico is that of European design, likely constructed out of my ancestors’ demolished buildings,” Garibay said. “Celebrating Indigenous art is one of the few ways that I have left to reclaim this missing piece of my culture.” is June, the McNichols Civic Center Building will be host to an elaborate ofrenda created by Garibay and his creative partner, Adrianna Baez.

“We are using EVA foam, cardboard, real moss, plastic owers, several di erent lights, paint, a few di erent textiles and PVC piping to construct our ofrenda,” said Baez. “ e design work took about a week, and we are hoping to construct it in about two weeks. We have already begun constructing some of the components so that assembly will be easier, and we will have a larger crew to help with construction at the McNichols Civic Center Building.” e ofrenda will be on display June 9-15 and honor the lives of artists and creators who were lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. Garibay and Baez’s ofrenda is in uenced by Mayan architecture and is topped with a skull inspired by Cizin, the Mayan god of death and earthquakes. In conjunction with Garibay and Baez’s ofrenda, the public is invited to bring photos of people they have recently lost and place them on a community altar. e ofrenda is a part of Denver’s Indigenous comic and art festival called áyA Con, which takes place June 9-11. It is a celebration of indigeneity, hosted by and highlighting North American Indigenous creators. is all-inclusive family-friendly festival features comic creators, bead artists, musicians, digital illustrators, drag ashion performance, designers, Indigenous dancers and more. áyA Con is a collaborative festival with events taking place at several locations in Denver. e ofrenda, art and select performances will take place at the McNichols Civic Center Building. Panels, art making and community booths with interactive activities will take place at the Denver Art Museum. e Levitt Pavilion will also be hosting Rez Metal night, a free concert with a lineup of ve Indigenous heavy metal bands.

“Come to áyA Con to build connections, celebrate the di erences in all cultures and bond over fandoms,” said Kristina Maldonado Bad Hand, one of the organizers for the áyA Con event. “ ere is something for everyone. Our show is very eclectic. We have a wide range of artistic practices, music and stories, all centered around the things we love.”

Garibay and Baez’s áyA Con Ofrenda is also something not-to-miss, Garibay said, adding it’s important to honor the lives of artists and creators because of their artistic struggle.

“ is is something that all true artists can relate to. It’s what connects us. ey will never have a chance to nish the projects they were in the process of bringing to life,” said Garibay. “My hope is that when people see the altar, they will discover some of these amazing artists and look into their body of work. is will allow the artists and their work to continue inspiring the living and lling their lives with beauty.”

To learn more about the áyA Con Ofrenda at the McNichols Civic Center Building, visit mcnicholsbuilding.com/ exhibitions. For more information and a full schedule of áyA Con events, visit ayacondenver.art.

April 15, 1938 - May 13, 2023

Vicki Sue Wagner, age 85, born April 15, 1938 in Salem Oregon, passed away peacefully May 13, 2023 in her new home in Montrose CO. Vicki is survived by her husband of 65 years Vern Wagner; daughters Stacey Pike and Michele Taylor; son-in-laws Brian Pike and Boyd Taylor; grandchildren Brittny Hiatt, Karson Pike, Kendal Pike, Miles Taylor, Alye Wagner, Colin Wagner; great grandchildren Charlotte Lewis, Renner Kruse, Steele Kruse, Ezekiel Kruse, Roman Kruse. Vicki was surrounded by her family in celebration of her life in her last days.

Vicki was the heart of her family and so much more; Vicki was a peer, pseudo-mom, friend-new and old and loyal ally to likely thousands over her lifetime as she participated in her communities in every way possible. We know with certainty that all who knew Vicki held her in their hearts as well. Vicki and Vern moved to Golden CO in 1968 where Vicki worked at Earle Johnson, Je erson County, and others and most especially worked tirelessly to make her beloved town of Golden welcoming and beautiful. Her commitment and passion for the Golden Visitor Center was unparalleled. Vicki received many accolades for her work in the community (all of which were appreciated but quietly tucked away) as what mattered to Vicki was relationships, comradery and positive development. A short list of her participation includes Citizen Action team, GURA Commissioner, Leadership Golden, Golden Police Citizen’s Academy, Comprehensive Planning Committee, Golden Civic Foundation, Golden Visitors Center Board, Farmers Market, Ladies Only Shopping Tour, and on and on - to the point that she was a recipient of the Charlie O’Brien volunteer award. Vicki was likely Golden’s greatest ambassador. Vicki was her happiest cultivating gardens, believing they would bring others great joy. Vicki would want everyone she touched to know that they were in her heart on earth and now in heaven. Ephesians 4:32 - “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” e family suggests donations to her favorite cause, the Golden Visitor Center.

Confessions: 8am Tue-Fri; 7:30am & 4:00pm Sat

Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00pm

Sunday Masses: 7:30, 9:00, 11:30am, 5:30pm

Private dog park site gaining pup-ularity

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Since Elle Ritt started renting her Wheat Ridge yard to fellow dog owners in November, she’s hosted birthday parties for pups, pooch photoshoots and doggie play groups almost every weekend.

Ritt is one of dozens of renters in the Denver metro area on a website called Sni Spot, which links people interested in sharing their yard with local dog owners who want a private fenced area to let their pups o -leash. rough Sni Spot, renters set an hourly rate per dog and time slot availability for users to book.

With two older dogs who need less exercise, Ritt said she wanted to let other dogs take advantage of her large yard and, so far, there has been no shortage of demand.

“It’s just mindblowing how frequently it’s used,” she said.

Ritt said a majority of her visitors don’t have their own yards and prefer to avoid public dog parks because of reactive or sensitive pups. e site allows users to tailor their search to t needs like a taller fence height or not having other dogs or animals visible.

Dr. Rebecca Ruch-Gallie, a 23-year veterinarian at Colorado State University’s Community Practice clinic, said the uncontrolled nature of dog parks leads to risks like ghts and disease transmission, which is why she typically recommends other ways to exercise dogs, such as daycare or private yard time.

In addition to walks and playtime, RuchGallie said some dogs need to run and all dogs bene t from exploring new routes and places.

Ruch-Gallie said she will sometimes take her pups on what she calls a “sni -ari.”

“ ey take in the world much di erently than we do, so give them those di erent scents to pick up and opportunities to see and smell di erent things,” she said. “Sometimes they just want to go, go, go and get their energy out and other times they just want to meander and take the sni s in.”

Mike Rieber, who has been renting his fenced pasture in Parker since October, said one of the best perks of sharing his yard is seeing how excited pups get to check out new scents and release their energy.

“ ey call it a Sni Spot and I never really understood how important that was to a dog, but that’s the rst thing they all do when they get here is smell everything,” Rieber said. “Especially with the repeat dogs, as soon as their paws hit the ground, boy, they’re o .”

Ritt’s experience has been similar, she said, adding that Sni Spot has been mutually bene cial, not just for the dogs, but also the humans. She’s received multiple thank you notes from visitors and attests that catching glimpses of visitors always makes her smile.

“It’s so cute to peek in the backyard and see grown men laying on their stomachs taking pictures of their puppies,” Ritt said.

Another Sni Spot user, Lyndsey Leach, who rents her Lakewood backyard, agreed. Leach lost her own pooch three years ago but remains an avid dog-lover.

“It’s so nice when they’re comfortable and running around,” she said. “I’m always happy when they’re happy.” None of the three renters report issues with destroyed yards, rude users, neighbor complaints or unruly animals.

In addition to the positive mental health benefits, Leach said renting her yard is a convenient passive income and gives her the flexibility to be away from home if needed. Leach estimates that since she started in January, she’s had about 50 visitors and made around $400.

“I don’t really have any expenses associated with it, other than eaten tennis balls,” she joked.

Rieber said he didn’t originally think he would make much money from the app but has been happy with the extra cash. He noted the demand is only picking up in the warmer months, though he got a fair share of visitors during the winter as well.

“We’re not trying to maximize our revenue, we’re doing this more as a service for young people that have dogs and need a place that’s private,” he said.

For Ritt, her most recent month was her most successful, cashing in over $1,000, and before that, she averaged a few hundred dollars monthly.

“One of our dogs has had a ton of health issues, so it’s like SniffSpot funds her care,” Ritt said. “It truly has been a notable supplemental income.”

To learn more, visit sniffspot.com.