Tonight: DADA and Dana Cain launch an Art Collectors Summit series

Mark Penner Howell, "ONE," acrylic, ink, and spray paint on three canvas panels.

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Dana Cain makes no secret of her blossoming identity as a collector of works by local artists, and is always looking for ways to share her fervor: Her latest, the Art Collectors Summit series, debuts this evening during the Art District in Santa Fe's Third Friday event, offering gallery-goers a twist on the old artist talk, the conventional sidebar to many a gallery exhibit. Sponsored by DADA (the Denver Art Dealers Association), tonight's kickoff unfolds at 7 p.m. at Space Gallery, 765 Santa Fe Drive, featuring the work of Mark Penner Howell, whose solo show The New Normal is presently on view at the venue.

Mark Penner Howell, "Ripe One," acrylic, ink, spray paint and Lazertran on wood panel.

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Cain, who is an unapologetic Howell groupie and owns five of his paintings, will join the first panel, along with fellow Howell collectors George Blosser and Marc Sydnor; each will give a brief talk on their reasons for choosing Howell's work, offering distinct takes on why they collect it. "The goal is to put the audience more in a position of having art in their houses. Rather than sit and listen to artist talk about his process, this is meant to inspire people to get into mindset of collecting an artist's work. I hope to lead by example: This shows them a road map on how to start looking at art as collector might."

Admission is free; call 720-904-1088.

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On the other hand, if you still want an artist talk by Howell, that's what you'll get, although again with a twist, when the artist guests at Eric Matelski's monthly Denver Art Talk on February 1. Howell will discuss his influences, answer questions and groove with the audience to "experimental faux-German supergroup" Total Ghost beginning at 7 p.m. at Crossroads Theater, 2590 Washington Street; admission is $10.