LA VETA — The Spanish Peaks Arts Council (SPACe) in La Veta invites the public to the opening reception for "Michelangelo: Sketches in Clay" and "Technology in Art" Saturday, Sept. 2, 5-7 p.m.

Learn and see how technology has linked 500-year-old artwork to the 21st century, as well as how it has affected today's artists. Sangre de Cristo Arts Center CEO Jim Richerson will speak about the process used to produce the bronze replicas of bozzetti actually created by Michelangelo Buonarroti 500 years ago.

In addition, area artists are showing a collection of art in a variety of media. Through the use of QR codes to internet access, the artists describe how they have used modern technology to create their art.

"Michelangelo: Sketches in Clay" will be on display through October 1.

About the exhibition: The story of this exhibition begins in the late 1400s and early 1500s when Michelangelo created working models of sculptures as stepping stones to the final piece. The models were never intended to be a final product, and the artist would customarily destroy them upon completion of his final artwork.

Thus, mock ups for most of his sculptures no longer exist. Hundreds of years later, a few fragile models of wax, wood, and air-hardened clay were discovered when a wall was torn down to reveal a forgotten closet inside the Casa Buonarroti, a museum in Florence which was owned by the sculptor Michelangelo himself. The exhibition Touched by the Hands of God: Michelangelo’s Models features replicates of these delicate pieces which have been laser scanned and 3-D generated in such detail that visitors can even see Michelangelo’s thumbprint in one of the models.

In addition to the colossal history contained in the small figures of Michelangelo’s design, guests of the show will be able to see a visual timeline of notable events from Michelangelo’s life and work.

The SPACe galleries are located at 132 W. Ryus, in the Town Park and are open 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; Saturdays 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; and Sundays 12-4 p.m. The galleries are closed on Mondays.