The City of Boulder hosted an Experiments in Public Art Lecture Series in 2025 that foster conversations around artistic expression and creative processes. Several of the lectures included a community workshop component, giving attendees the chance to experiment with their own creations. All lectures took place in the Canyon Theater at the Main Boulder Public Library. We featured five artists:
Ana Maria Hernando
Fervor Installation
Ana Maria Hernando’s temporary installation Fervor was displayed at the library’s Conoid entrance. Inspired by the Earth’s cycles of transformation, the work used abundant layers of tulle to challenge ideas of feminine fragility, presenting softness as a form of power. The installation was on view for the month of May.
About the Artist
Ana Maria Hernando, an Argentina-born and Denver-based multidisciplinary artist, explores the sacred feminine in her work. In 2024, she presented a solo exhibition at Madison Square Park in New York and represented Colorado in the Women to Watch exhibition at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. She is a 2023 Joan Mitchell Fellow, a former RedLine Resource Artist, and is represented by Robischon Gallery.
Sarah and Joseph Belknap
In Fellowship with the Sun (and the moon)
Artists Sarah and Joseph Belknap led two events as part of the City of Boulder’s Experiments in Public Art Lecture Series. The afternoon session (hosted at the Canyon Theater, Boulder Public Library) included a short lecture on solar myths, human observation of the sun, and the anatomy of the eye, followed by a hands-on cyanotype workshop. Participants created sun-printed images using provided materials and were invited to include personal objects in their prints. The evening session (hosted at the Sunrise Amphitheater) was a Full Moon Art-making Workshop. Attendees observed the moon through telescopes and created moon-inspired photographic artwork.
About the Artists
Sarah and Joseph Belknap are Chicago-based interdisciplinary artists and educators, as well as long-time collaborators who move freely between sculpture, photography, video, and performance in their highly inquisitive artistic practice. Reflecting on our place in the cosmos, their work draws inspiration from the history of science, popular imagination, and their shared sense of wonder.
Molly Gambardella
Climate and Recycled Materials Workshop
As part of the Experiments in Public Art Lecture Series, Molly Gambardella led a workshop focused on climate change and the use of recycled materials in artmaking. The event included a temporary installation of large-scale recycled flowers around the library for the weekend, inviting attendees to explore sustainable creative practices.
About the Artist
Molly Gambardella, based in Connecticut, is an interdisciplinary artist whose work examines social, political, and biological systems. She creates large-scale, interactive works that foster collective experiences and often repurpose discarded materials, integrating elements like water, wind, light, and sound to explore the interplay between natural and artificial environments. Molly has exhibited internationally, with work in major collections and features in Sculpture, Forbes, and Suboart Magazine. She was a 2023 artist-in-residence at Yellowstone, held a 2024 solo exhibition at the New England Botanic Garden, received Connecticut’s 2024 Emerging Creative Award, and teaches studio courses at Capital Community College and the University of New Haven.
Weaving x Coding
Warping the Future
Visiting artist team Weaving X Coding led Warping the Future, an augmented lecture exploring the intersections of weaving, computing, and technology. The session highlighted the contributions of women and underrepresented communities to textile and tech histories. The afternoon included a community dialogue with local artists and researchers on innovation and preservation in textiles and emerging technologies, featuring Dr. Libi Rose Striegl and Steven Frost.
About the Artists
Francesca Rodriguez Sawaya and Renata Gaui (Weaving X Coding) explore the parallels between weaving and computing through research-based projects, workshops, exhibitions, and collaborations. Their work highlights the historical erasure of underrepresented communities and creates immersive experiences that celebrate the intersections of textiles, technology, and cultural histories.
Bimmer Torres
Bimmer Torres: Community Mural
Bimmer Torres led a mural project with four local Boulder youth in partnership with Street Wise Arts. The mural was installed on an exterior door to the Native Plant Garden at the Boulder Public Library.
About the Artist
Bimmer Torres is a muralist and sculptor whose work blends vibrant colors with portraits of people, plants, and cultural artifacts, creating compositions that tell rich, layered stories.
About the Program
The Experiments in Public Art program serves as a city-wide laboratory expanding the potential of public art. Unlike a traditional public art commission, Experiments in Public Art projects are as much an experiment for the community as they are opportunities for artists to work within unconventional parameters.