Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)

3/6/25 5:30-6:30pm

Jonathan McAfee (b. 1982) is an artist working in Evergreen, CO. After graduating from Herron School of Art and Design (Indiana University) with a B.F.A. in painting, McAfee began focusing on the figure and developing his expressive application of paint.

He has exhibited in solo exhibitions at the Evansville Museum of Arts, History & Science (Evansville, IN) and Artwork Network (Denver, CO). His numerous group exhibitions include Muses of Mt. Helikon IV at Helikon Gallery (Denver, CO) and The Self-Portrait Show at Gallery 924 (Indianapolis, IN). In 2016 McAfee was awarded the second annual North American Artist Showcase through Professional Artist Magazine. He has exhibited in Los Angeles as part of the Superfine Art Fair (February 2019) and his latest solo exhibition took place at Kuehl Fine Art within the A.R. Mitchell Museum in Trinidad, CO in June, 2022.

McAfee's work is collected throughout the United States, Europe & Asia and can be seen and purchased at his art studio in Evergreen, CO or online at Artsy, Saatchi Art, Singulart, ArtFinder or through ArtRewards or Kuehl Fine Art.

More info at www.jonathanmcafee.com

Additional information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture

Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)

April 3rd 5:30-6:30pm

Steve Knox is an artist living and working in Cheyenne, Wyoming. His passion is art.

Steve is an high school art teacher, he serves on the Arts Cheyenne board of directors, and is a founding and active member of the Wy/Art Coalition. When Steve isn’t teaching, painting, or advocating to better Cheyenne’s art scene, he can be found with his young family, exploring and enjoying the outdoors. .

Full artist bio and info at www.fineartbysteveknox.com

Additional information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture

Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)

5/1/25 5:30-6:30pm

Autumn Hunnicutt was born and raised in the high deserts of northern New Mexico. Her oil paintings explore ideas of cycles, memory, the natural world, and life experiences, often inspired by her southwestern roots and surrounding environments. Her work highlights the beauty of the natural world, giving a sense of holiness to the flora and fauna that inhabit the familiar land. Hunnicutt’s time living away from home in various states and backpacking across the Californian desert has deepened her respect for new encounters and familiarity. The human figure, landscape, plants, birds, and color are used to create stories of existence and experience. The use of color and symbolism in Hunnicutt’s paintings can be seen as a reflection of the southwest and a simultaneous longing for new experiences.

Full artist bio and info at autumnhunnicuttart.com

Additional information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture

Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)

6/5/25 5:30-6:30pm

Mary Leslie's artistic journey is a tale of rediscovery and passion. Alongside her husband Richard and a lively bunch of Horses, Donkeys and dogs, Mary's charming ranch serves as both her abode and her inspiration.

Mary's art paints a vivid picture of her deep-rooted affection for the untamed beauty of the West and its inhabitants. Her larger-than-life paintings are a heartfelt tribute to the animals and landscapes that have captured her heart and guided her life's course.

Full artist bio and info at marylesliestudio.com

Additional information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture

Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)

7/31/25 5:30-6:30pm

Cody is a Northern Colorado born, self-taught artist who has built his business from the ground up in Denver. After building his skills in college with mini pop-surreal paintings, he decided to get serious about making his art into a business and built it into the gallery of New Western art he has today. Now, The Art of Cody Kuehl features New Western paintings with a unique stylistic interpretation merging detailed graphical subjects with abstract underlays.

Full artist bio and info at artofcodykuehl.com

Sarah Boston is a self-taught artist born and raised in Great Falls, Montana. She fell in love with Western art as a young child growing up in Russell country. She has been creating art professionally for almost two decades and specializes in realistic portraits of people and animals. She strives to bring life to her pieces, especially when reinvigorating the spirit of long-dead heroes of the West.

Full artist bio and info at sarahbostonfineart.com

Additional information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture

Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)

9/4/25 5:30-6:30pm

Amanda’s original digital paintings are created by drawing on a tablet screen with a pressure-sensitive stylus in procreate, a program where she customizes the brush tools, mainly airbrush, pen, dry brush, and blending tools in order to illustrate with them and present a unique and expressive style. Her vision is to create work that will uplift people, and bring them a sense of joy. She was awarded 1st place for digital arts at the castle rock art festival in 2023.

She also creates work with traditional media including color pencil, acrylic and oil painting, as well as mixed media pieces. All emphasizing the vibrancy of life, the subtle vibrant colors and profound, divine intricacies that make up the world all around us.

Full artist bio and info at www.thevelaranch.com

Additional information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture

Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)

10/2/25 5:30-6:30pm

Born in the small town of Maumee, Ohio, I spent the first part of my life in the Midwest. I’ve been an artist and a painter since I was a little girl and have been on this creative journey for most of my life. I studied art and education at the University of Toledo's Center for Visual Arts at the Toledo Art Museum campus. After three years as a full time art teacher, I was desperate for more landscape and more studio time. I moved out to Colorado over a decade ago where I earned a Masters Degree in Art and Painting at Adams State University and have called Denver home ever since. I currently reside and paint in northwest Denver and love to escape to the mountains and beautiful metroparks when I can. I am a mama to two very busy little boys who both inspire my work and drive me to keep pursuing my passion for painting. When I’m not parenting and painting, I teach private art lessons and help prospective students build their art portfolio in preparation for applying to art schools.

For the past few years, my work has focused on exploring the visual concepts of memory and place.

Full artist bio and info at www.taliasart.com

Additional information and virtual event access will be posted at https://trinidadstate.edu/als before the lecture

Artist Lecture at Trinidad State Boyd TCRM building (and virtual!)

11/6/25 5:30-6:30pm

Full information and virtual event access at https://trinidadstate.edu/als

Penny sculpts ceramic figures to better understand herself. She relies on her subconscious and emotions to guide the process rather than planning ahead. By creating work from an emotional and intuitive place, the viewer can participate in an authentic human bond, much like an intimate conversation.

Full artist bio and info at penneybidwell.com

Sarah's work involves crafting pieces that surpass the traditional artistic methods used with these mediums. Instead, she crafts multi-dimensional artworks that use tactile components to elicit humorous and clever narratives.

Full artist bio and info at cactusgalleryla.com