TRAINS

FROM PAGE 16 e club started a GoFundMe account, at https://www.gofundme. com/f/the-ymr-train-shoppe-opportunity-to-expand, and promoted the need for funds on their Facebook page. Premier Members Credit Union stepped in to provide a match of up to $2,500 that volunteers collect. the roots of various plants as they grew in the soil.

Watching the ant farm became meditation for him.

“Every time I looked, it was different, and I was mesmerized,”

Lemanski said. “Watching it become something is the fun of it.”

Lemanski then built a second ant farm, then a third. Eventually, it became a collection of eight. Lemanski got a patent on them, and in June last year, opened a space to publicly display them at 2150 Market St. in downtown Denver.

Today, he has 11 illuminated ant farms for everyone to enjoy. Filling a couple of the walls inside the larger Ant Life venue, Lemanski calls the display “the Ant Space.” Each of these framed ant farms is unique, and will be di erent with every visit. It’s living wall art, Lemanski said.

“It only exists in the present because it’s constantly changing,” he added.

Additional original artwork displayed inside Ant Life is what Lemanski calls Space Screens. ese are close-up images – some are photographs of plants and other objects that Lemanski took on his cycling adventure – on dyed velvet that are hung from a light bar to create a dynamic, psychedelic wall hanging. He o ers Ant Life guests a pair of 3D glasses to enhance the of the great classics. Sometimes we perform these classics juxtaposed to a contemporary piece. We try to keep the program very alive so that the people are attracted to as much of it as possible. You’re not going to appeal to every person in Denver, every night. We try to present, over the course of the season, all of the great elements of the musical art form.”

Oundjian said the Colorado Symphony’s milestone could not have been reached without the longstanding and overwhelming support of the community.

“ is season carries special signi cance as we celebrate 100 years of music and look ahead to the next century of music making in Colorado,” said Oundjian. “ is celebration belongs as much to you and our state as it does to our orchestra, and we can’t wait to share the excitement with you all season long.”

“We support local community nonpro ts like the Youth In Model Railroading Train Shoppe with funds to help them grow and ourish for years to come,” said Je rey Kash, assistant vice president of Community Relations at Premier Members Credit Union. “ e YMR Train Shoppe is instilling the next generation with invaluable business and social skills to set them up for success - and they’re having fun while they’re learning!” viewing experience.

“Whenever I am at Ant Life, I feel a sense of peace staring into the art as the lights pulsate colors and shift my perception of what I see,” said Kelsey Armeni, who visits Ant Life on a regular basis. “I know that in the midst of an event, I can take a break from socializing to go and stare and connect back to my breath and the simplicity of ants digging through the cosmos.”

Lemanski originally opened Ant Life as an art gallery — everything in it is available for purchase — but the space soon found its calling as an events venue.

Since its opening, Lemanski has hosted a variety of corporate and private events there — from birthdays and weddings to gaming and movie nights. e Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies even hosted one of its events at Ant Life when the association was in Denver in June for its Psychedelic Science conference. And about once a month, Ant Life hosts the popup market, Magic Makers Market.

“ is venue has been the biggest blessing to the event promoters here in Denver,” said Anthony Sabia, founder of Shroomski Magazine, who hosts events at Ant Life. “It’s designed with the intention to give you something fascinating to look at. e decorating has already been done, and any guest that comes in there is practically left speechless.”

Lemanski enjoys the variety of events that take place at Ant Life. And he happily schedules free, private tours of the space for anyone who wants to see it. He’ll carry on friendly conversations about the art and ask visitors what they see in it. And “everyone sees something different,” Lemanski said.