CON: with
SPIRE: to Breathe

The idea of eco-conspiracies grows from the idea that we breathe together with plants. As the foundation of ecological webs, native and bioregional appropriate plants serve to restore habitats, especially through the tight urban spaces where most of us dwell. Opening space for contemplative practice, we invite visitors to slow down and breathe with surrounding plants in our spheres, practice creative acts of sci/art conservation, and share seeds and their stories with neighbors to pass regenerative acts forward.

Using Art to Bring Wildlife Conservation Closer to Home
Broadening perceptions of ‘home’ to include outdoors spheres around our lived-in structures, we encourage deepened relationships with non-human species who dwell with us in the urban corridors we call home, thinking of ways we may increase connectivity across Denver’s communities.

EXHIBITION
DATES: March 1 – April 30, 2026
An immersive installation sharing stories of creative restoration work by practitioners within the Creature Conserve community interspersed with local artists’ multi-disciplinary approaches of re-inhabiting conservation.

Spring 2026 engagements

Sunday, March 29: 10a – 12p
Native Seed Packaging Work Party

Hang out and help us package up seed for the upcoming Colorado Native Plant Society‘s Annual Conference and local seed shares. Participants can take seed with them after the event. The Galleries are a lovely, light-filled space perfect for this kind of slow, relaxing work. Come pack seeds and chill. We will provide seed, envelopes, packing instructions, and a place to make new friends. Feeling creative? Lee Lee will offer hints on how to approach washes & resists to create art for seed packaging.
GALLERIES on DOWNING: 420 North Downing, Denver CO 80218

Saturday, April 18: 1-4p
Volunteer Day & Plant Exchange in the Stiles African American Heritage Gardens

Join us for spring spruce-up of the Stiles Gardens! We will be giving away pollinator powerhouses that were installed with the People & Pollinators Action Network as we thin the garden to open space for more diverse plantings. Seeds will be sown & are available to take home. Bring your own garden thinnings to share with the community. Kala Greene, director of the Stiles Center will be on hand from 2-4p to give tours of the Heritage Center founded by her mother, Grace in the early 1990s.
Stiles African American Heritage Center 2607 Glenarm Place, Denver, CO 80205

Thursday, April 30: 6:30 – 8:30p
Goodbye Grass! Workshop with Faith Williams Dyrsten

Faith’s mixed-media illustrations are observations on the phases of new growth, ongoing
decay, and insect life. After removing the turf grass from her front yard using the “cardboard composting” method, Faith took pieces of cardboard back into these changed garden spaces and created live drawings of the plants. This series questions our needs for the traditional suburban grass lawns and considers what can happen when we create more pollinator-friendly spaces. Workshop will be paired with a demonstration of the cardboard method in the gardens at the GALLERIES and a presentation on grass replacement methods.
GALLERIES on DOWNING: 420 North Downing, Denver CO 80218

Thursday, May 21: 7pm
Artist – peer critique with Faith Williams Dyrsten

A free group for all artists and creators seeking to improve their work through thoughtful, peer feedback. Meeting every Third Thursday in Denver since 2013.
GALLERIES on DOWNING: 420 North Downing, Denver CO 80218

RSVP to any of these engagements by e’mailing leelee@creatureconserve.com

Archive

Winter Seed Sowing Demonstration
Saturday, February 7, 10:00am – 12:00pm

Location: GALLERIES on DOWNING,
420 N. Downing St., Denver, CO 80218

Come learn about winter seed sowing techniques for native plants! Your hosts Lee Lee Leonard & Mele Avery will guide you through the steps of understanding what seeds require winter stratification and will demo a few techniques to achieve the best results. They will show you how to set up an outdoor nursery and guests will take home seeds immersed in moist sand for stratification. Milk jug sowing and water soaking milkweed seeds will also be demonstrated.

 

Nature Journaling Workshop
Saturday, February 21, 10:00am – 12:00pm

Location: GALLERIES on DOWNING,
420 N. Downing St., Denver, CO 80218

Nature Journaling bridges art and science to deepen our understanding and connection with surrounding habitats. Join us for an introduction on how to develop a creative practice of observation to carry with you. 

Benefits of Nature Journaling: 

• Boosts Mental Well-being: Acts as a stress reliever, helps process emotions like anxiety or grief, and promotes mindfulness and restorative time outdoors
• Sharpens Observation Skills: Forces you to slow down and notice details you’d otherwise miss, improving attention and critical thinking.
• Improves Memory & Learning: The act of drawing and writing significantly aids in remembering experiences and understanding concepts. 
• Fosters Creativity & Self-Expression: A non-judgmental space for art, poetry, and storytelling, helping to articulate thoughts and emotions.
• Develops Scientific Skills: Encourages questioning, pattern recognition, and recording local ecological data, turning you into a citizen scientist.
• Creates a Sense of Place: Builds a deep, personal connection to specific locations, fostering stewardship and belonging.