Man for All Seasons.

• Author: BRONIKOWSKI, LYNE
• Position: Brian Nelson - Brief Article

Brian Nelson's Christmas decorating season began in late September. It took him to Madison, Wis., Asheville, N.C., and Cincinnati before he had to jet back to Denver in time to decorate downtown Denver's Denver Pavilions -- a job that's not exactly the equivalent of trimming the tree, stringing the roof with lights, and hanging a wreath on the front door.

Nelson's wreaths for the Pavilions are of the Advent variety (horizontal, with candles), 14 feet in diameter and weighing upwards of 500 pounds.

One will hang in the center of each of the Pavilions' two buildings, connected by garland that swoops to 12 points along the Pavilions' pedestrian walkways, creating a ceiling effect for shoppers on the ground and an entirely different view for those above on the third floor.

Nelson designed, sold and installed the wreaths for the Pavilions; he also is one of a dozen free-lance decorators who work for the Baltimore-based Becker Group, the company that sells multimillion dollar holiday finery to many of the country's largest shopping malls.

"I'm Mr. Christmas for two solid months," Nelson says. "I'm basically an elf. I go in and show them what to do with what they've bought."

He's more than that, both around the holidays and year-round.

Nelson co-founded and produces Celebrate Colorado Artists, a national juried art show held locally on Memorial Day weekend. The show is modeled after the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, where Nelson worked as production manager. When he left that post, he entered the Cherry Creek festival as an artist, and his photography took a first place.

"It's sort of an event/crew coordination/arts/decor experience that I...