Cowgirl Hat Ball
June 26 - January 30
B Gates, Near Gate B62
Art at Den
June 26 - January 30
B Gates, Near Gate B62
Terry Maker is a contemporary sculptor and painter whose work explores themes of cosmic creation and universal making through mixed media and found materials. Born and raised in Abilene, Texas, Maker completed her master’s degree of fine arts between Texas Tech University and the University of Colorado Boulder. Her labor-intensive practice transforms discarded materials into sculptural works that examine spirituality, redemption and the divine through what she calls “archaeological excavations” of compacted detritus. Maker has exhibited nationally and internationally and especially enjoys having her work connect with audiences throughout the American Southwest. Maker is represented by Denver’s Robischon Gallery. She currently lives and works in Colorado. For more information about Maker and her work, visit terrymaker.com and follow along on Instagram.
Cowgirl Hat Ball is constructed with over 500 straw Western hats appended to a wooden 10-foot-diameter spherical structure. The smaller version, Cowgirl Hat Ball – 2, is made with 175 miniature hats and refers to a sense of progeny—a lineage of feminist consciousness. Instead of naming this piece “Cowboy” Hat Ball, I’ve chosen the unexpected, more feminine naming convention. By turning the hat form inside out, the work subtly shifts the visual hierarchy. The rounded contours take precedence while the traditionally dominant crown recedes into the background, inviting a reconsideration of familiar Western symbols. This inversion offers a different perspective on identity, power and the visual language of the American West. Through this transformation, a familiar icon of the American West becomes a vehicle for reimagining tradition and expanding the narratives that shape Western art and culture.
