KAITLYN BLACKMAN (NOVEMBER 2024) As a 2024 Central High School graduate, she is in the early stages of her photography career, so look forward to enjoying much more of her photography in the years to come. Kaitlyn showed several photographs at Blue Raven Brewery in December of 2023 in the student art show and the brewery is pleased to host a full body of work in November 2024!
A few words from Kaitlynn, “The idea of being able to almost stop a moment, and freeze it in time completely, with just the click of a button is a comforting, yet almost uneasy feeling to me. It’s the idea of stopping change, while experiencing it at the same time. Both my parents have always told me that I have a great eye for the things around me, and that I notice things in intense detail, especially in the photos I take, I didn’t exactly believe this though until a picture I entered into a art show my Sophomore year of high school won an emerging artist award. Since then, I’ve grown more confidence in the pictures I take and don’t criticize myself as hard on the small things only I notice in my pictures. Though I’m definitely no professional, that doesn’t keep me from continuing this coping mechanism I’ve found, but encourages me more to keep taking pictures. I urge you to find something simple, and turn it into something only you understand, like I did with photography!”
DESIRÉE BROTHE (OCTOBER 2024) Desirée is a visual artist based in Cheyenne, Wyoming, known locally for her depictions of birds. In her production art, she explores various aspects of birds, including their size, shape, personalities and texture. Desirée even painted the mural of ravens on the side of the brewery at the Blue Raven!
“The 'Raven As' series is a look at how we have viewed and interpreted Ravens in our lives throughout literature and history, often finding ways to associate them with ulterior meaning. It is also a nod to my love of classic horror movies and literature, and the campy, mythological nature found in these tales. Vincent Price movies, especially 'House on Haunted Hill', Edgar Allen Poe stories, and Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot novels are great inspirations.”
MIRANDA UNWIN (SEPTEMBER 2024) “Printmaking has become one of my all-time favorite mediums. It has turned into my adult artistic stamp collection. Many of the subjects are from photos that are transformed into linoleum stamps, then carved with special tools and printed on paper. The illusion of depth is created by varied line width and shapes added into the background. The majority of my work is in black and white, I encourage my viewers (and myself) to look beyond the hard lines to find something that softens your heart."
"I am a wandering soul who is called to channel creativity and explore different mediums. In my creative whirlwind, I capture the essence of natural beings to share my curiosity and love of all things. I have lived most of my life in Aurora, Colorado, I am a recent transplant to Cheyenne, Wyoming. My favorite place to be is outside. Currently, I am an art student attending Laramie County Community College. My creative endeavors include photography, printmaking, painting, digital art and sewing. I have been afforded many interesting opportunities, one of which was an art internship for a NASA mission called Psyche Inspired. I have worked with the Wyoming State Museum and participated in events on campus at LCCC that benefit the local arts community. I am a strong advocate for up-and-coming artists and love supporting the arts wherever I can.”
SABRINA CULP (AUGUST 2024) Sabrina Culp is a local Cheyenne artist that has worked in a myriad of mediums including graphite, marker, acrylic, clothing design, sculpture, photography, and watercolor. Her August show at Blue Raven Brewery features her watercolor paintings.
“I am currently building my portfolio and honing in on my watercolor skills. I do not have any specific themes to my paintings, nor do I have a `favorite’ thing to paint. I always enjoy new challenges and obstacles to my artwork. It keeps things fun and I learn so much along the way. My hope through it all is to capture an essence of my personality in everything I create.”
ANGELA JONES (JULY 2024) The artistic repertoire or Angela Jones primarily features acrylics, though she's recently delved into charcoal and pastels. Angela draws boundless inspiration from the picturesque landscapes of mountains and plains she explores. "I aim to capture the essence of my personal journeys within my art, inviting viewers to embark on their own imaginative voyages," Angela shares. While landscapes are her mainstay, she also enjoys depicting wildlife and diverse subject matters. Her pieces are an interpretation of the beauty that surrounds her, inviting observers to let their imaginations roam freely.
TARA PAPPAS (JUNE 2024) “All children grow up. However, that does not mean all must lose that childlike sense of wonder and pure bliss. When I discovered mixed media art, I rediscovered a sense of play that I thought I had lost in adolescence. At the heart of my work is a desire to spread joy and inspire imaginations to run wild, as they did in childhood. It is my sincerest wish that encountering my work will feel like a breath of fresh air -- a moment of peace and happiness amidst the chaos. A chance to feed that inner child again.”
Tara Pappas is a mixed media artist and illustrator in Wyoming. Born in Fresno, California, Tara Pappas knew from an early age that she wanted to be an artist. After studying painting and classical guitar in her undergraduate studies, Tara moved to Austin, Texas, where she studied art education. While she occasionally painted during this time, it wasn’t until she moved to Wyoming in 2011 that she fell in love with mixed media art and developed her current painting style.
DEVON TREE LINDSAY (MAY 2024) Devon Tree Lindsay is a LIVE performance, speed artist. He creates a "start to finish" painting at events within one hour during a Band and DJ performance. His style ranges from mountain landscapes to abstract surrealism. He’s also a multi-instrumentalist and a producer. In musical project Rooted Loops, Devon improvises music while painting simultaneously, creating a painting from scratch.
CASSIDY POST (APRIL 2024) Cassidy Post's art is an exploration of nature's beauty. She finds inspiration in the intricacy of wildlife and the vibrant colors of wild spaces. Through her work, she aims to celebrate the wonders of the natural world and share the joy she experiences in creating art.
DANIELLE KIRBY (MARCH 2024) We are excited to welcome back Danielle Kirby as our featured artist for the month of March. Danielle aspires to "recreate those moments just after a thunderstorm - the moody tension, theatrical colors, dramatic light" and we all agree she has done just that.
Danielle is a contemporary western landscape artist from Wyoming. Her paintings explore the colors and light that occur in the big skies of the West. Danielle received a degree in graphic design and worked as a designer for 13 years before pursuing art full-time as a self-taught painter in 2022. She is a member of the Cowgirl Artists of America, and her work is featured in the permanent collection of the Wyoming State Museum, as well as private collections across the United States. Danielle lives in Wyoming with her husband, children, and far too many animals.
KAYLA PEARSON (FEBRUARY 2024) Kayla was born and raised in Wyoming, so it’s no surprise she has a love for wide open spaces and nature. When Kayla traveled to South Africa and Mozambique with her husband in the summer of 2023, she was astonished by the diversity of landscapes and wildlife. Her latest series on display at Blue Raven weaves memorable parts of that experience using many art mediums. Kayla is primarily a painter, but her background as an art educator in Cheyenne keeps her motivated in working with a wide range of materials.
JAKE WILLIAMS (JANUARY 2024) Jake Williams is an oil painter whose work is influenced by his love and amusement of nature. From fish and birds, to landscapes and seascapes, to clouds and the cosmos, Jake tries to convey the beauty and anomalies of the natural world by recording it onto canvas. He started painting close to 7 years ago and is mostly self taught with the exception of learning techniques through YouTube videos or catching “The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross” every once in a while. He hopes his paintings evoke positive feelings and emotions, and also inspires others who are intimidated by making art without formal training. Just go for it!