NATURE NOTES: SAND CREEK

Commissioned by the Sand Creek Regional Greenway Partnership for their 25th Anniversary, this ~3,915 sq ft mural features five large, trompe l’oeil-style field notebooks detailing some of the beings found along the Sand Creek Regional Greenway: Plants and Pollinators, Aquatic Habitats, Reptiles and Amphibians, Mammals, and Birds. Various tools of observation accompany the organisms: hand loupe, pencil, magnifying glass, species checklist, binoculars. Notes, diagrams, and labels in both Spanish and English fill the pages. Community members applied the first layers of paint during our public mural festival, and helped realize this project as a celebration of Sand Creek Regional Greenway Partnership’s dedication to environmental education. Here is a short reflection about the project.

VIBRANT VALLEY, HEART OF THE SPRINGS

Commissioned by Old Town Hot Springs, Melanie Damore and I collaborated to design and paint this ~1,500 square foot mural on the two sides of Old Town Hot Spring’s new pump house across from the Yampa Valley Core trail. As a landscape painter, Melanie depicted the flowing Yampa, the historic Howelsen Hill, the steaming hot springs, and the towering aspen trees. Always inspired by flora and fauna, I created the bugling bull elk, the flock of migrating Sandhill cranes, paintbrush and fireweed wildflowers, white-lined sphinx moth, and mountain bluebird. Together, we hope this project celebrates the vibrancy, movement, community, and beautiful environment of Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

“Working with Catie Michel and Melanie Damore on our recent mural project was an absolute pleasure. From start to finish, their professionalism, creativity, and dedication shone through. They tackled every form of Colorado spring weather with grace and flexibility, never wavering in their commitment to bringing this huge piece to life. The result is nothing short of extraordinary. Their mural now welcomes visitors to downtown with vibrant energy, highlighting our natural landscapes and celebrating everything that makes our community so special. It’s not only timeless and deeply rooted in the spirit of Steamboat Springs and Old Town Hot Springs, but it also sparks joy for everyone who sees it. Catie and Melanie were fantastic collaborators, thoughtful, talented, and hardworking. We are so grateful to showcase their work on our building for generations to come.”

Sarah Konopka, Old Town Hot Springs Marketing Director

NATURE NOTES: RALSTON CREEK

Commissioned by the City of Arvada and the Arvada Arts and Culture Commission, Nature Notes: Ralston Creek is a hand-painted mural that spans ~1,800 square feet alongside Ralston Creek in Arvada, CO. Plants, fish, birds, amphibians, and insects from the creek habitat venture across the wall throughout an over-under perspective. Various species on the outer ends of the mural are painted in metallic gold, a nod to the creek’s namesake and the historic discovery of gold in the area. We hosted Nature Walks in which members of the public and I ventured along the trail and recorded observations. Critters we saw were added to the mural, and the community was invited back for two Community Paint Days. Viewers can access a guide to the mural’s species here. Read more about the project at the City of Arvada.

STREET WISE MURAL FESTIVAL X OCEAN FIRST INSTITUTE

In partnership with Ocean First Institute, I hand-painted “FROM THE DIVIDE”, a 230 sq ft mural on the Goose Creek Underpass at Foothills in Boulder, CO for the 2024 Street Wise Mural Festival. Despite being a land-locked state, Colorado is inextricably connected to the ocean through the water cycle and the numerous watersheds whose rivers begin in the Rocky Mountains. In general, everything east of the Continental Divide eventually flows into the Gulf of Mexico, and everything west (historically) into the Gulf of California. A Caribbean reef shark (found in the Gulf of Mexico) and Leopard sharks (found in the Gulf of California) swim together through five native Colorado wildflower species commonly seen in Boulder. Read more about the project here.

“Ocean First Institute was thrilled when Catie Michel approached us with her vision for the 'FROM THE DIVIDE' mural at the 2024 Street Wise Mural Festival. Catie’s background in marine science brought a unique and thoughtful perspective to the project, aligning perfectly with OFI’s  mission of ocean conservation through research and education. Her mural is artistically stunning and scientifically grounded, capturing the intricate link between Colorado’s rivers and the ocean. The mural, featuring Caribbean reef and leopard sharks swimming through native Colorado wildflowers, is a breathtaking representation of this connection. Catie’s professionalism, creativity, and passion for conservation made this collaboration truly special, and we look forward to collaborating on future projects.”

Chrissy Frederick, Ocean First Institute Director of Education & Operations

 CURRENT: ADAMS COUNTY SHIPPING CONTAINER

Aerica Raven and I painted an entire shipping container located at Riverdale Regional Park. Local animal, plant, and insect species found in the nearby South Platte River valley flow across all four sides of the container. The top showcases the topography of the river through Adams County.

“Adams County commissioned two shipping container murals for our annual Pride Festival in June 2024 through Babe Walls Collective. Our work is centered in a beautiful park along the South Platte River and we wanted to create pieces we could showcase in the natural setting and use at our year-round events including Pride and the Adams County Fair. We were immediately drawn to the work of both Catie Michel and Aerica Raven. Catie’s linework, her ethereal approach to grounded nature-based concepts and coloring drew us in, and Aerica’s fascinating approach to creating light-dynamic work were so interesting. Babe Walls’ approach to bring artist together that hadn’t yet worked together is amazing, but of course it could be so hard! Catie and Aerica showed up from the beginning with collaborative, strong concepts featuring large creatures flowing through the topography of the River. All native to the area and with the most beautiful color palette. (We are so excited to showcase the piece at our Fair, lit from all sides to showcase the changing dynamics!) They worked so hard, day in and day out, to paint a flawless mural on a challenging surface, were so kind to people throughout their live painting during the festival. We really look forward to finding other ways to work with Catie and Aerica on future projects.”

Zoe Ocampo, Adams County Cultural Arts Manager

 HUMMINGBIRDS: ART GYM DENVER

Art Gym Denver commissioned me to paint a mural in their conference room. The community wanted a piece that celebrates Art Gym’s vibrant and energetic artistic setting. I painted four local hummingbird species darting across the wall among dynamic strokes of paint. Latex house paint and acrylic on drywall. 22 ft x 9 ft.

“Catie Michel’s proposal was exactly what we were looking for. Her proposal was presented in a very professional manner and highlighted how it fit our request for the scale of the space and concept of community with a unique and creative design. After being awarded the project, Catie presented a detailed budget that fit our requirements, a timeline to completion, and a detailed game plan for painting the mural. Catie finished ahead of schedule and the completed mural exceeded our expectations. Working with Catie was a pleasure from start to finish, and I would recommend her for any of your creative project needs.”

Tyler Campbell, Art Gym Denver Director of Operations

 MAGPIE MURAL

Commissioned by Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre and the Museum of Outdoor Arts in Greenwood Village CO, MAGPIE celebrates Colorado’s native magpies and mule deer. Latex and acrylic on wood. 15 ft x 8 ft.

“While working as the Operations Coordinator for the Museum of Outdoor Arts, I had the pleasure of working with Catie Michel as a mural artist. She showed great dedication to her piece, and did a fantastic job fulfilling her brief resulting in a stunning permanent mural for the Fiddlers Green Amphitheater. Her communication was excellent and all deliverables were fulfilled in a timely manner. I highly recommend her as a public artist.”

Tiffany Matheson, Museum of Outdoor Arts Operations Coordinator

CUERVOS

I was commissioned to paint a mural in a private home in Santa Fe, NM. The home resides within Santa Fe’s Rancho de los Cuervos neighborhood; I painted a life-sized blooming New Mexico Century Plant and a life-sized Common Raven. Latex house paint and acrylic on adobe. Agave: 10 ft x 3 ft. Raven: 2 ft x 3 ft.

“We are so thrilled to have Catie’s murals adorning the adobe walls at our home in Santa Fe. She expertly and thoughtfully captured our ‘sense of place’ with a blooming agave and a soaring cuervo (raven). Catie’s work is magic.”

Cindy and David Wilson, Santa Fe, New Mexico

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