2023 CHEAP LAUGHS FEATURED ARTISTS

 Kristen  Law Lewis was bitten by the bookbinding-bug in the last semester of her  undergrad Studio Art studies at University of Colorado. She’s made all  kinds of books since - founding Papercuts Press in 2005. She later  pursued artifact conservation, a second love, and earned a degree in  Museum Studies. Kristen mixes her time between bookbinding, teaching  bookbinding, and caring for museum collections.  "My work is largely driven by materials and process. I love the  challenge of physically incorporating something special into what I  make. Upcycling, repurposing, and reducing waste are key interests in my  studio practice. I think a lot about where things come from, and where  they are going. I'm enamored with material objects - modifying their  past significance to construct a relevance for them today."   

https://papercuts-press.square.site/

Instagram Handle | @papercutspress

Gili is an artist, art director and designer working in Lafayette, CO. Her work uses flat graphic forms, patterns, abstract line work and dopamine colors to evoke a visceral, joyful response. Her practice spans across illustration, design, art direction and fine art.   Somewhat inevitably, her work is strongly influenced by graphic design; her abstract, but flat and vibrant forms are graphic in their presentation and at times used in combination with stylized type. But the real focus is on the use of color, which is usually quite bright, and often in unexpected combinations that evoke a sense of joy and curiosity in a visceral way.  

Instagram Handle  | @gilithewolf

Instagram Handle | @bigbadindustries

I have been painting and drawing since I was 9 years old. I am a graduate of the The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a versatile artist with many styles. I enjoy doing watercolor landscapes, still lives, portraits and also have an abstract style of art that incorporates collage and layers of different papers and drawings. During the pandemic, I created a character named, Flamingo Medusa and she is represents bringing creativity and inspiration wherever she goes. I have screen-printed apparel featuring Flamingo Medusa, a coloring book, and greeting cards! 

https://www.flamingomedusa.com/ 

Instagram Handle | @flamingomedusa

 All forms of art fascinate Cecil. He began his journey as an artist carving wood and soon realized that it would be difficult to produce enough pieces to make a living. Cecil then decided to experiment with clay. For the next forty years he created functional and art pieces which were sold at galleries and art shows throughout the Midwest. Now that Cecil is retired, he enjoys designing pieces that are quirky and unique. 

 Cecild@centurylink.net 

Vance appreciates experimenting with everything as a way of expressing beauty, to take the mind to transcendent thought.  Vance works in a variety of mediums including clay, paint and book arts.

 A ceramic artist since 2003, Greg currently creates sculptures in ceramic, steel, and occasionally wood. His pieces range from tall pillars clad with glazed ceramic relief carvings to small tabletop works. He also creates colorful glazed ceramic wall murals and individual art tiles. He uses a robust clay body with low moisture absorption which is able to withstand weather extremes, making much of his work suitable for outdoor placement. He loves to explore the natural world of animals, birds, insects, and plant forms in his clay work, very often combined with a variety of abstract shapes and designs. He is not drawn to realism, but rather finds joy in creating forms that are more symbolic. He is specially interested in incorporating his art into the public space. 

 https://www.fieldscapes.com/ 

Instagram Handle | @gregoryfieldsart

Misfits Work you say? I don’t think so. Seems to me they do an awful lot of standing around. These Stick-in-the-Mud totems are one of my favorite ta-das. Whether they are peeking out behind a mound of flowers or bringing guffaw to a dreary old winter day, these crazy characters add a little mischief and hilarity to every garden. Is this all you can expect? Heck no. Misfits pop up in all shapes, sizes, locations, and roles. Do you appreciate tomfoolery, hoopla, hooey, buffoonery, poppycock, absurdity, mumbo jumbo rubbish? If so, I might have the schtick you are looking to find. I am the sculptress of nonsense and the whimsy of wildlife. It’s a site to see .

https://www.misfitswork.com/

Instagram Handle | @marleenendicott

Erin Doubenmier is a Lafayette-based illustrator and cartoonist. Her medium of choice is India ink, but she also enjoys using watercolor crayon and acrylic paint. Showcasing a vibrant leaning with bold contrasts and process-minded line work, dozens of layered color applications are methodically blended and then finalized with a subtle capstone hue. Although some of the work requires an objective reference, the majority of the renderings are drawn directly from her mind. Her work’s subject matter borders on social commentary, drawing inspiration from animals, childhood, and ever-evolving interpersonal dynamics. 

Instagram Handle | @ erindoub

Hi I’m Jonathan. I love RECORDS. Turntables. Equalizers. Speakers. I love MUSIC. Thrift Shops. Recycled stuff. And vintage POP CULTURE. I wanted to make tributes to the things I love, so in 2014, the journey of HIFI JONES began. Images are discovered in dusty and discarded LPs and books. They are manipulated and REMIXED in the digital realm and then brought into an analog reality on recycled paper and substrate. 99.9% of what I make my art with is reclaimed. Ok, maybe 97.4%. What am I? A statistician?  

https://www.hifijones.com/ 

Instagram Handle | @hifijones

 My art is a shamanic practice of weaving self back into wholeness/Nature through exploring and activating sacred archetypes. I have explored my inner and outer worlds through earth based spiritual inquiry for over 25 years only to return back to wonder, awe, and curiosity about the great mystery and my dance in it, again, and again. A long time student of conscious living, I approach my art the way I approach life, with loving intention and radical self-compassion. With every fiber of my being, my interdisciplinary art is a prayer and an offering for you to remember, heal, and transform yourself through creative embodiment. I invite you to express your whole self as a creatively empowered being, belonging to the interconnected web of life in beauty and flow, in your unique nature, as Nature herself as we co-create the most beautiful world our hearts know is possible.  

https://www.passionfruitarts.com/

Instagram Handle | @passionfruit.arts

Twenty years ago, when I was an elementary teacher in the Boulder/Denver metro area, I started turning bowls on the lathe over the weekends, primarily as gifts for friends and family. Over the years that turned into me being commissioned to create more and more pieces, which began to include charcuterie and cutting boards. More recently I’ve started creating unique small wood & resin hearts and angels that can be hung on the wall, in windows, or as ornaments. 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/JayEllweinDesign

Instagram | @jayellweindesign    

Sista Luna is a Colorado artist, currently living in Lafayette. She plays with a variety of mediums in her work, recently focusing on fine-line, black and white ink drawings with an occasional pop of color. She incorporates natural flora and fauna subjects that speak to death/rebirth cycles while often including references to collective stories and myths. 

https://www.sistalunamakes.com/ 

Instagram Handle | @sista.luna.makes

Cynthia creates collage figures from old postage stamps. Creations of color, light and shadow, when viewed up close, become a study in philosophy, religion, geography, history and literature. Every stamp tells a story.  Her current project is to create the images of the Major Arcana of the Tarot, like The Fool and The High Priestess.

 Stamp Art Works 

I am an abstract artist working with mainly acrylics and a fine liner. I always had an interest in art but haven’t followed my desire to paint till 2017. It all started as therapy where I got lost in the acrylic pour technic which quickly developed into a much more expressive painting style. I use layers of paint mixed with water (sometimes a medium or sand) directly on the canvas to leave an organic mark. The later added lines are often just to add more texture and depth. My paintings give the viewer just enough detail to make up their own story in the painting. Which is also, why most of my paintings can be hung in any direction. Some say my art reminds them of topological maps while others see landscapes, rock formations, a universe or sea creatures. The list here goes quite long and I love hearing all the stories the viewer get out of them.  

https://www.esrasstudio.com/ 

Instagram Handle |  @esrakellermanns

Like many potters, all it took was one class in a pottery studio to begin this journey. Clay is challenging, frustrating, fun and so rewarding. There is always something new to learn, and I will be learning forever.

My pottery is made in small batches at a local studio in Longmont. The pottery is made with a high fire stoneware clay body and kiln fired to cone 10. All of my pottery is wheel-thrown. All pottery and glaze is food safe, as well as dishwasher and microwave safe.

https://www.lisachinnclay.com/

Instagram Handle | @lisachinnclay

I am an acrylic painter and figurative sculptor based in Longmont, Colorado. My art focuses on capturing the natural beauty of the state through landscape, wildlife and birds. I blend traditional techniques with experimental abstract painting using alternative tools. I gather inspiration from outdoor excursions and use digital manipulation to create unique compositions on canvas, with the goal of seamlessly blending abstract backgrounds with realistic depictions of birds and animals. Additionally, I create hand-built clay slab sculptures that express personal experiences and emotions, with a focus on the human body and its ability to convey feelings and situations. I also hope to expand my studies to include depictions of animals and birds in my sculpture work. 

https://www.anabalzan.com/

Instagram Handle | @anabalzan67

Holly does a lot of different things, but her current love is making acrylic pour jewelry. Each piece is a tiny original painting under glass. The laws of fluid dynamics play a role, so there is an element of randomness within the creative process. When she pours, she never knows what she will get! Then she takes that chaos and creates unique designs. Sometimes they look like exotic stones, others like alien planets. Very fun!  

 https://www.visionariesphotography.co/p49688692/

Instagram Handle | @holly.mcnutt.9

We are a community oriented studio in the heart of Old Town. Here we  offer classes for adults and kids, offer space for local artists to  create and show work from artists in our studio or CO local artists. Our  style and artwork is truly honest, eclectic and unique.

https://www.cannonstceramics.com/ 

Instagram Handle | @tictacsumac 

Rebecca Martin is a local Lafayette artist. She paints in oils and offers paintings from tiny to large. She loves to paint florals, landscapes, animals , birds and so much more! You can view her art at Local Goods and Otis Coffee in Lafayette, Village Coffee Shop in Boulder, and Creative Framing in Louisville.  

https:// www.rebeccamartinfineart.com 

Instagram Handle |  @rebeccamartinart 

 Sharon Schatz is a fiber artist working with yarn, wool roving, and a variety of fabrics. Up-cycled and found materials are often included. Sharon’s designs feature botanical inspiration and often combine multiple techniques including, felting, embroidery, weaving and sewing. 

Instagram Handle |  @schatz639 

Karen Ziegler is a local artisan and musician, and loves the vibrancy and color of life around her! She tries to reflect that in her artistic creations - jewelry made with colorful beads, images of her photographs & paintings (alcohol ink), upcycled components and glass & china (in her mosaic pendants). She loves to dabble in other mediums as well and especially enjoys paper-cutting by hand with a nod towards the old folk traditions. Karen enjoys coming up with other ways to showcase her art and creates small gift items such as keychains, cards, calendars, and ornaments. She enjoys being eclectic with her creativity and hopes that her creations bring a bit of joy to people’s lives.  

Jen Barnhart began jewelry design when she was still a high school teacher and fell in love with it, so it became her full time job. She specializes in mixed metal, gemstone, and keum-boo jewelry. In addition to being a jeweler, she also leads youth jewelry making workshops for ages 7-17. 

https://www.stoicsagedesigns.com.  

Instagram Handle |  @stoicsagedesigns 

When it comes to painting, Linda has two distinct personalities.  She has always loved creating art that represents the world that people would easily recognize and identify. On the other hand, she has become addicted to abstract art. Her abstract work is a representation of the way she sees the world in shapes, colors and energy flow. These pieces happen on the canvas sometimes with seemingly no input from her and other times, they are planned and purposeful. This  mimics her life in many ways. She is organized and logical (representational art) and had a long and successful career as a corporate accountant, but she loves a good adventure! 

 https://www.lindabice.com/ 

I co-create art to communicate the internal and ancient worlds. Through this interactive process of oxygenating these expressions, I find access to wisdom, clarity and intuition. I invite you to explore your relationship with the pieces in an inner landscape curiosity. Through my contemplative practices, I am able to bring forth ancient languages, images, objects and paintings mixed with the art of encaustic expression. I graduated from Naropa University with a BA in Contemplative Psychology. During this time, I was able to learn calligraphy, photography and pottery. I continued my artistic exploration through watercolor painting. I was later introduced to the deep and powerful expression of SoulCollage. This is an art form of creating psychological cards that speak from your imagination and intuition. This practice supported accessing the deeper aspects of myself that wanted to be expressed. I later completed my degree in Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Psychology. I learned that one of the most powerful ways to integrate my own healing was to continue to do my art. I began oil painting and was unexpectedly discovered by the ancient Egyptian art form of encaustic painting. I find that the encaustic medium supports my current and prior artistic explorations. It allows for a synthesis of artistic expression that includes the co-creation of several mediums brought together. I am in love with the mysterious element of the wax. I find that every piece has an unexpected element that continues to teach me, as I listen.