Featured at West + Main Littleton: Cody Kuehl

Join us for Final Friday in Littleton, featuring Cody Kuehl

Frontiers

2590 W Main St
6.27.2025, 6-9pm

Meet Cody Kuehl

Cody Kuehl is a contemporary painter who features moment of impact images of the west. Born
in Colorado, Cody's formative youth was raising, training, and showing draft horses with his
family. Cody currently resides in Longmont Colorado. He is the board president of the A.R.
Mitchell Museum where he runs his gallery, Kuehl Fine Art.

“The myth and ethos of the West lives strong even today in American culture. The lone gunman
stands tall as an enduring symbol that people strive towards. The history that we try to live is a
double-edged knife that cuts both ways, however. These paintings strive to build up and
undercut, live into and criticize the american west as a force in our history that is both a powerful
story of American ideals and a fundamentally flawed American character study.” ~ Cody Kuehl

Learn more about Cody in our Q+A!

How did your business come to exist?

I've built the art career over the course of almost a decade of small shows to group shows to solo exhibitions.  I've always had good people that helped to bring me up and give me new opportunities to show.I have a deep gratitude for everyone who has given me a chance over the years.  

Where do you find inspiration?

Inspiration for my brand of western art can be found everywhere from movies and TV, to comics and historical photos. Recently I have found inspiration at the A. R. Mitchell Museum of western art which among other things houses a very extensive collection of historical photos from the western world of southern Colorado.

What is the best piece of advice that you have ever gotten?

Haha my art teacher in high school told me I'd never get accepted into art college so I never applied.  Saved me a TON of money.  

What are your thoughts about your city's creative scene for artists, designers, crafters, makers, and/or small businesses?

My main Art community is in Trinidad, CO, and lately it has been like a powder keg of art.  We are doing so many new projects and shows down there.  We have four world class exhibitions at the museum this year and my gallery has 10 solo openings that we have fielded from artists.  I have met some many creative and talented artists through the process and would highly recommend a visit.  

What do you like to do outside of work?

My family raises and trains Draft horses, so whenever I can I am out driving the ponies on some sort of farm implement or taking care of them.  

What is your dream project? 

I am working on a couple dream projects right now, but the one that's the biggest is to make the A.R. Mitchell Museum in Trinidad a world class destination for the arts.  

If you had a choice between two superpowers, being invisible or flying, which would you choose?

Definitely Flying.

What is your favorite part of your job? 
Creating art is a part of my lived experience and something that I do every day.  The creative process is like breathing to me.

Get in touch with Cody Kuehl

Email: kuehl.cody@gmail.com
Website: artofcodykuehl.com
Instagram: @artofcodykuehl

If you are a local artist/crafter/maker/indie business owner and would like to be featured on our blog, please fill out this form or contact Joy at joym@westandmainhomes.com with questions...we can't wait to learn all about you!

Featured at West + Main RiNo: Joe Murray

Join us for First Friday in RiNo, featuring Joe Murray

Static

2632 Blake St #102
6.6.2025, 6-9pm

Meet Joe Murray

In 2020, Murray started taking on art commissions in exchange for COVID relief fund donations, eventually starting his design business Auberon Design. He has hosted fundraisers for various causes including the Colorado Freedom Fund and The Lilith Fund. Creating works for over 75 musicians, both local and international, his work has often focused on growth, nature, and self-worth or the lack thereof. Currently, Murray works in public arts administration for Adams County, Colorado.

“While I often think of my work as a reflection of myself, I hope you see yourself reflected too. You have something to bring to this world and it is big, bright, and beautiful.” ~ Joe Murray

Learn more about Joe in our Q+A!

How did your business come to exist?

In March of 2020 when things shut down, I started drawing portraits of friends and family in exchange for donations to COVID relief funds. After doing that for a while, I began dedicating all of my free time to illustration and connecting with other local artists and musicians. Over time, I reached a point where I was working with so many musicians on album art, posters, and other promotional materials, I was able to move my business, Auberon Design, into a full-time position.

What was the best day at work you've had in the past three months?

Recently, I've taken a break from making art full-time, but I've had the opportunity to create two pieces of cover art for my good friend Martîn Better Longo's band Fruta Brutal. Collaborating with musicians is where my passion lies, so creating these works with him has been wonderful.

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration from music, bright color, and in the vulnerability of others putting their own creative works into the world. Earlier in my career, I only drew other artists as a way of celebrating their work. It takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there, and it's something I admire so much in others that it has inspired a lot of my work.

What is the best piece of advice that you have ever gotten?

"Mangia"

What are your thoughts about your city's creative scene for artists, designers, crafters, makers, and/or small businesses?

To be frank, it is challenging to be an artist or small businesses in Denver. In a city with rising costs of living and constant displacement, it is not an easy terrain. Art spaces are disappearing, like the recent closure of the Evans School artist studios. Denver has an immense amount of talent, from musicians to visual artists, but support for the arts and lack of protected art spaces has me fearful for the city's creative scene long term. If we can't support artists and foster the growth of young artists, the city's vibrance and diversity will suffer.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Outside of work, I love to cook, run, and read.

What is your dream project? 

I would love to create stage sets for live music. As I look ahead in my art career, I want to move away from illustration and painting into more 3D works. Designing sets for concerts would be a dream.

Get in touch with Joe Murray

Email: joe@auberondesign.com
Website: auberondesign.com
Instagram: @auberondesign

If you are a local artist/crafter/maker/indie business owner and would like to be featured on our blog, please fill out this form or contact Ashley at ashley@westandmainhomes.com with questions...we can't wait to learn all about you!

Featured at West + Main Highlands Square: Lynn Mandziuk

Join us for First Friday in Highlands Square, featuring Lynn Mandziuk

The Pause In Between

3442 W 32nd Avenue
5.2.2025, 6-9pm

Meet Lynn Mandziuk

Lynn Suyeko Mandziuk (Lynnzos) is a multi-disciplinary creative with a background and two degrees in illustration. Her fine art pieces explore abstraction in the form of printmaking and sculpture, deconstructing ideas and visual concepts into melodic sequences.

Lynn is an experimental artist and explores 2D art, animation, sound design, projection mapping, electrical design, and other creative and scientific processes in her work. She utilizes synectic thinking to compare and contrast two seemingly opposing subject matters. Her themes often delve into the plight of humanity, the unconscious, solitude versus the collective, and autonomy.

Learn more about Lynn in our Q+A!

How did your business come to exist?

I had an undergraduate degree in illustration and started pursuing fine art on the side.

What are you known for?

I am known for outdoor illustrations, abstract printmaking, sculptural light pieces, sound and frequency, and professor-ing.

What are you currently working on?

Right now, I am working on experimental pieces. I am trying to tie user experience, sound and animation, along with light sensors and projection mapping. 

What do you like to do outside of work?

Outside of work, I like to Rock Climb, play music, learn and study, and travel.

What are your thoughts about your city’s creative scene for artists, designers, crafters, makers and/or small businesses?

Denver is a big small town, which is why it’s amazing for its creative community. Other cities may have more international commerce or mainstream venues, but Denver has a very tight-knit and unique community. We have a wonderful music scene, an awesome art scene, and great opportunities for collaboration. It’s an amazing place to live, and I love the access to the mountains and desert.

What is your dream project?

My dream project would be creating a multimedia masterpiece combining everything I know.

Get in touch with Lynn Mandziuk

Email: lynnmandziuk@gmail.com
Website: https://lynnzos.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lynnzos

If you are a local artist/crafter/maker/indie business owner and would like to be featured on our blog, please fill out this form or contact Ashley at ashley@westandmainhomes.com with questions...we can't wait to learn all about you!

Featured at West + Main Louisville: Matty Miller

Please join us in Louisville for First Friday, featuring photographer Matty Miller

Resting Space

920 Main Street

04.04.2025, 6-9pm

Meet Matty

Matty Miller is an artist based in Denver, CO, creating paintings that invite reflection, spark wonder, and celebrate life’s quiet moments.

Growing up outside New York City and later in the vast landscapes of Taos, NM, she developed a deep appreciation for wide open skies and the power of stillness. Her studies at Naropa University explored the intersection of contemplative practice and art, shaping her approach to painting as both inquiry and refuge. Matty looks to adventures in the natural world— walking pilgrimages in Spain, paddling in Fiji, and riding wild horses in Turkey—to inspire her work.

Meadow Sentinel

Learn more about Matty in our Q+A!

How did you arrive where you are today?

I grew up in a very creative household. Much of my childhood was spent wandering around in a converted schoolhouse outside NYC where my mom and several other artists had workspaces. As a teenager, I became interested in mindfulness practices and ended up at Naropa University, influenced by the philosophies of Buddhism and the avant-garde spirit of the Beat generation. For the last 15 years, I've been a practicing artist and educator. 

Now, I am channeling my passion and experience into the role of entrepreneur running an art business, creating art that embodies beauty, authenticity, and connection. I love sharing my work with collectors because I believe being surrounded by art is a way of cultivating a commitment to the truths and values one wishes to live by. It's an act of self-care, and a visual reminder each day of the life you want to live and a mindset you want to keep.

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration in the quiet beauty of nature. Remote wilderness areas, in particular, offer a sense of awe and wonder that fuels my creativity. I love feeling small in the grand scheme of things.

High Road to Abiquiu

What are your thoughts about your city’s creative scene?

I think Denver is a great place to be an artist. It's not a huge city but there's a robust community of creatives and more venues to enjoy art than I've had the chance to visit living here for 20 years!

What is the best piece of advice that you have ever gotten?

Dream big!

What do you like to do when you are not working?

I love spending time outdoors, whether it's biking, camping, or gardening. In my free time you can find me dancing Lindy Hop at the Mercury Cafe.

Innocent-Mischief-is-Good-for-the-Soul

Who/What are your biggest influences?

Nature. My art is deeply influenced by the expansiveness of southwestern landscapes and the transformative power of solitude. My creative process often starts with a bout into the wild. Spending time in the natural world, feeling small amidst towering peaks and pristine lakes, or witnessing wildlife, replenishes my creative bucket. These experiences, combined with purposeful daydreaming, help me develop the visual metaphors that appear in my paintings.

What is your dream project?

My dream is to create a large, dedicated art studio space. It would be a place for experimentation, collaboration, and teaching others in art workshops and camps.

Get in touch with Matty

Website: http://www.mattymiller.com

Instagram: https://instragram.com/mattymillerstudio

If you are a local artist/crafter/maker/indie business owner and would like to be featured on our blog, please fill out this form or contact Ashley at ashley@westandmainhomes.com with questions...we can't wait to learn all about you!

Featured at West + Main Littleton: Devin Birmingham

Join us for First Friday in Littleton, featuring Devin Birmingham

2590 W Main St
03.07.2025, 6-9pm

Meet Devin

“I am a fine artist rendering creations in various media, including graphite, charcoal, ink, and oil paint. I have dabbled in digital art, graphic design, drafting, offset printing, and commissioned work, but my passion lies in the creative processes of drawing and painting from imagination.

A Colorado native, I've been blessed to draw inspiration from the beauty of this wondrous state, while also being inspired by my fellow artists both local and abroad. I believe art is a tradecraft of discovery and the process of learning and honing one's skills, an exercise of pursuit, never perfection. I feel that an artist should never be able to reach a goal for their talent, but strive for something always unseen, which keeps us finding new techniques, ways to express and hopefully...ever more beautiful artwork to share with the world.”

Learn more about Devin Birmingham in our Q & A!

How did your business come to exist?

My business came into existence when I realized that I wasn't prioritizing my own happiness in the workplace. I made the commitment to use a natural talent for art to open my own studio and start doing what I truly love for a living.

What is your biggest influence?

My biggest influences for my art are also my biggest inspirations - my colleagues around the world creating art of their own and bringing it into the lives of everyone through the use of social media, local galleries, festivals, and the like. I love seeing the vast and differing techniques of my fellow artists and their creations. I draw from those works to inspire my own pieces. I also tap into my imagination of places that have never existed as subjects for my work.

What is the best piece of advice that you ever received?

That could be any number of things. I only wish I'd listened to more of what was offered to me in the past. I suppose some of the best advice I've ever received or taken was centered around meaningful quotes. "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" comes to mind, as does "A master has failed more times than a beginner has even tried." Both quotes have driven me to approach life with the mindset of pursuit - to take every task, no matter how monumental or daunting, by the very first step, doing just one small thing at a time, until consistency and persistence have eventually paid off, yielding measurable results. 

What is your dream project?

My dream project would be a large format dark fantasy piece -something I intend, to try the limits of my talent against, in days to come.

What is your favorite part of your job??

My favorite part of my job has to be a mixture of getting into the creative 'zone' - letting the creative side of my mind completely take over, and feeling the gratification at the end of creating a new piece. When I get into the flow of a piece of art, my mind wanders like a nomad. I start thinking about things that have nothing to do whatsoever, with the art I'm creating, and the creative side of my mind takes control. From the shadows, it does its' own thing, while I'm busy thinking about whatever I am at that moment. It's nice being able to put my subconscious in the driver's seat and let it lead the way to wherever.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Outside of work, I enjoy music, reading, and the outdoors. I play guitar, dabble in hammer dulcimer, harmonica, and shakuhachi. I grew a fondness for reading fantasy novels when I was still in high school and have loved to indulge ever since, though not as frequently as I'd like. I truly love hiking in the beauty of the mountains of Colorado, going on a drive with the family to see the views, or watching the turning of the leaves in the autumn. Someday, I'd like to go back to the ocean with my wife for another cruise. I long to travel to distant places and see more of the world.

• Get in touch with Devin Birmingham

Website: https://www.devinefineart.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devinefineart/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558520823611

If you are a local artist/crafter/maker/indie business owner and would like to be featured on our blog, please fill out this form or contact Ashley at ashley@westandmainhomes.com with questions...we can't wait to learn all about you!