"Landscapes of Colorado" is one of the shows of a heavyweight summer, a broad survey designed to address the continuing fascination of artists with the beauty and contradictions of the land around us.

That "Landscapes" also has helped set a tone or standard for other exhibitions isn't a surprise.

Last summer, it was the history of Colorado art. This year, galleries and art centers are zeroing in on the landscape genre, beginning with a stellar show at David Cook Fine Art, and then the ambitious but somewhat confusing traveling show "Masterpieces of Colorado Landscape: A Rich Legacy of Landscape Painting," at Foothills Art Center.

William Havu Gallery's current offering also heads for the hills, Abend Gallery is bound for the same territory and even Rule Gallery's new show of photographs could be placed in this category.

But "Landscapes of Colorado" is a more complex situation: It is tied to a major reference book inspired by a similar venture in New Mexico; organized by Ann Daley, a curator at the Denver Art Museum; and, in truth, three shows split between two adjacent spaces, the Center for Visual Art and Robischon Gallery.

Considering that more than 50 artists are involved here, I think a road map is in order. The best way to begin is at the Center, following their portion of the exhibition through its effective stylistic organization, from the more traditional gauzy Western vistas through myriad styles to a conclusion of more abstracted work.

Then, head to Robischon, which has folded in a solo of new work by Karen Kitchel (also represented at CVA) while continuing "Landscapes of Colorado" in the back space as a much more didactic exhibition.

That is, if the work in the Center for Visual Art is more about opportunities to compare and contrast techniques and study how different artists address important landscape elements such as mountains, water and sky (and trees, lots of trees), the concluding portion at Robischon includes paintings and photographs with a point of view tending toward examining what humans have done with - and to - the region.

When a section of a show starts out with photographs by Robert Adams, who lives in Oregon but did much of his work in Colorado, you know that the theme is going to be honesty; after all, Adams turned a page on how artists approached the landscape, seeking a beauty that has as much to do with bleakness as it does with bounty.

There is some overlap here: David Sharpe has large-scale pinhole images in both venues, as does the late Jim Colbert, to whom the project is dedicated (he died in June).

Kitchel's "Natural Order: Notes for an Opera" is, in itself, a stunning effort, a suite of paintings that follows the ground below us through the seasons and through a cast of characters usually not found in her work - that is, animals. "Order" stands on its own two feet very well.

And "Landscapes," through skillful installation in both spaces, is a reminder of the pull of the region - camera be damned - upon artists of all types, those who aim to portray nature as they want it to be and those who aim to portray nature as it is.

Landscapes of Colorado

• What: A survey of work on that theme by more than 50 artists, with the solo "Natural Order: Notes for an Opera," new work by Karen Kitchel (at Robischon Gallery).

• Where and when: Center for Visual Art, 1734 Wazee St., through Aug. 25, and Robischon Gallery, 1740 Wazee St., through Sept. 1

• Of note: Panel discussion 11 a.m. Saturday with Denver Art Museum curator Ann Daley, who organized "Landscapes of Colorado," and Westword art and architecture critic Michael Paglia, who wrote text for the companion book

• Information: Center for Visual Art: 303-294-5207, www.mscd.edu/news/cva; Robischon Gallery, 303-298-7788, robischon gallery.com

Ten Views

• What: Work by 10 artists on a theme of landscape (Jeff Aeling, Joellyn Duesberry, Stephen Dinsmore, Jean Gumpper, Tracy Felix, Sushe Felix, Greg Navratil, Armin Muhsam, Timothy Murphy and Debra Salopek), with new work by Ron Trujillo in the mezzanine

• Where and when: William Havu Gallery, 1040 Cherokee St.; through Sept. 8

• Many views: In this summer's spirit of all things landscape, Havu Gallery has assembled a group show including artists from the stable as well as "introductions" of work by Muhsam, Murphy and Salopek.

So much on the walls - is the word, perhaps even too much, it's that crowded - will be familiar, including stylized and precise scenes by Tracy Felix, colorful abstracted interpretations by Sushe Felix, lush and colorful works by Duesberry and strong horizon lines by Aeling. (Both Felixes and Duesberry also are represented in "Landscapes of Colorado.")

But intriguing new views also abound, including land- and cityscapes by Muhsam with a refreshing hard edge, and glowing skyscapes by Salopek that carry an inner light.

Some careful editing might have given work here more room to breathe, but "Ten Views" certainly provides its own chapter in the landscape chronicles of 2007.

• Information: 303-893-2360; williamhavugallery.com

Mary Voelz Chandler is the art and architecture critic. Chandlerm@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2677

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