Latino Culture Is The Focus Of This Year's Doors Open Denver

DENVER (CBS4) - Doors Open Denver will focus on the La Alma-Lincoln Park neighborhoods this year. That part of Denver was established in the 1800s and maintains a rich Latino cultural heritage.

In the neighborhood on the west side of Santa Fe Drive just before West 9th Avenue, a hot pink building is home to Museo de las Americas.

"I feel like each piece speaks to me individually, I can relate to every single piece almost," said Janel Rosales, who works for Museo.

Her father is Mexican and her mother American. She feels Museo is a place where she can celebrate the intersection of both cultures.

"We're American, but have this rich cultural Latin American heritage that goes back into time, and I think that's very special to us and we feel like we are home here," she said.

"The art is really necessary for my life, almost a channel for my emotions," said artist Lorenzo Martinez who move to Denver from Chile four years ago.

He has been commissioned to build a special gazebo at Museo for Doors Open Denver.

"The structure is papier-mâché and the wood is tree," he explained.

Using a foundation of chicken wire and wood, Lorenzo, who is also a dancer, augments his broken English with body movement to describe the gazebo that will be home to fairies.

"Six trees parallel and tall, flowers and fairies," he said, gesturing.

For Lorenzo, art is necessary expression that comes with a challenge.

"It's anti-stress," he said. "I recommend it for you at home."