Art in The Park 2024
Art in the Park in Loveland was my first real experience showing my work publicly—a full year of taking painting seriously brought together into one weekend. It was incredibly rewarding, but it also made it clear how much I still had to learn. More than anything, it felt like a true starting point.
AT A GLANCE
Where: Thompson Valley Art League - Loveland, CO
When: August 2024
Event: Art Festival
My Role: Exhibiting Artist
EVENT EXPERIENCE
First time setting up a booth, talking with people about my work, and seeing how it connected in person — that alone changed something for me
The weekend started breaking down a belief I’d carried for a long time: that I couldn’t really make it as an artist
Showing up and doing it made me realize I was already further along than I thought
Learned quickly how important it is to have a range of work — smaller pieces at accessible price points, along with a few larger paintings that can catch attention from across the park
Met a ton of artists, had great conversations, and felt a real sense of momentum building throughout the weekend
Felt proud of myself for making it happen — and genuinely grateful for the friends and family who showed up to support me at my first show
PAINTINGS FROM THE EVENT
The work I showed represented my first full year of taking painting seriously—figuring things out, experimenting, and beginning to understand what kind of artist I want to become.
One of the most meaningful moments from the weekend was selling the very first pastel I ever made.
The piece, Wonder Wall, is a 5×7 I painted on New Year’s Day in 2024 at Dark Heart in Loveland. It captures a scene from the Big Thompson Canyon—the road between Loveland and Estes Park, leading into Rocky Mountain National Park.
That place has always stayed with me.
Growing up, I’d get car sick on that winding road because I couldn’t stop looking straight up at the granite cliffs rising into the sky. It felt larger than life then—and it still does now.
Selling that painting to one of my best friends made the moment even more meaningful. It felt like something coming full circle—something personal and foundational finding its way to someone who truly understands where it came from.
