Wrinkles in fabric, shopping baskets, and the Denver International Airport are just a few of the things that inspire Caitlyn Dolphin’s oil paintings. Dolphin, who is a Fine Arts student at RMCAD, finds her muse wherever she goes. By affectionately depicting the “mundane” she aims to highlight the beauty in the world that some viewers may ignore.
“When audiences see my pieces, I think they resonate strongly because they’re seeing these same scenes in the world that I preserved in an oil painting. I think it gives people a sense of sentiment for the world around them,” shared the young painter. Dolphin credits much of her inspiration with having the right surroundings.
As many young artists move to Denver to launch their creative careers, they’re all chasing the same creative spark to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and Dolphin is no exception. She moved to the Mile High City in 2021 to further pursue oil painting at RMCAD. She shares her insights on living in Denver as an artist, how the city influences her work, her favorite spots, and tips for navigating the city’s art scene.
Denver’s Creative Atmosphere
In a city like Denver, inspiration looms behind every corner. Within Denver, the diverse and abundant art scene has even generated unique nicknames for neighborhoods such as Five-Points which was known as “Harlem of the West” due to its vibrant jazz scene in the early 20th century.
A Thriving Art Scene
“One thing that’s been really valuable about moving to a city like Denver is how it embraces the community aspect of art,” shared Dolphin, who made her way west from her home state of Iowa. Reflecting on the various markets and art events in Denver, Dolphin pointed specifically to the Santa Fe Art District’s First Friday as a source of creative fuel. Not only do events like this expose young artists to other creatives of various backgrounds and mediums but they also highlight just how much audiences crave authentic and original art in their city.
Living in Denver as an artist, Dolphin shared how she felt empowered by the local art scene’s massive audience. The community inspired her to think outside the box saying “In a lot of cities, the perception of what art can be is very limited to the big white gallery space. People think once your work is there, then good job, you’re all done! However, I think Denver is oriented on creativity in all forms.”
Diversity in Artistic Expression
When Dolphin first set her gaze on attending RMCAD, she was overwhelmed by the multitude of options. Fresh out of high school she was unsure what her future as an artist would hold and considered enrolling in the Art Education and Illustration programs. In the end, she knew she was a fine artist because she was “always working an oil painting in the background.”
Dolphin credits her interest in different mediums with her artistic growth in Denver. Taking every chance she can to experiment with new art forms inside and outside of the classroom, she has learned to slow down and find her creative voice. Getting her hands dirty with clay influenced how she sees movement in her paintings. She reconsidered how 3D elements inhabit space by building fabric sculptures. “What’s funny is that understanding those different materials has enhanced my oil painting practice, which I’ve been grateful for!”
Searching for Inspiration in Denver
Denver’s art community is a bustle with urban street artists, upcycled fashion designers, and punk bands gigging their way through the city. No matter where you go in the city, you’ll stumble across something to kickstart your imagination. For young creatives, like Dolphin building their artistic lifestyle in Denver, the breadth of the local art scene offers inspiration in spades!
Dolphin admits that no matter where she goes the source of inspiration remains the same, the people. People watching at various locations in the city gives her a distinct view into the lives of Denver locals. She named a few favorite spots for when she needs inspiration.
Denver International Airport
“I’ll go to the airport sometimes when I don’t have a flight and I just make a day out of it. I like getting on the A-line and watching people where I think their guard is the lowest.”
Bardo Coffee House
“I am a regular at Bardo Coffee House. I think at places like coffee shops, where people aren’t in as much of a rush, they know they’re being observed to some extent. How people react in those situations is also a prime source of inspiration.”
Local Malls
“Even if I’m not buying anything, I like to wander the mall. Another theme in my work is material. I enjoy making that visual association by asking questions like where’s this person going? What have they bought and why?”
Opportunities for Art Students in Denver
One of the most important ways that Dolphin has found her place in the community is by connecting with artists in Denver. Whether it’s from other students, faculty members, or artists outside of RMCAD, Dolphin is always seeking input from fellow artists.
Making the Most of Studio Time
At RMCAD, Dolphin has an on-campus studio. At Spivak Studios, Dolphin shares one of 12 studio spaces with other RMCAD students. The collaborative studio space can accommodate up to 25 students total. In Dolphin’s experience, every day in the studio brings something new. “Some days you walk in and you hear people giving feedback and advice, and sometimes you walk in and everyone’s got their earbuds in and they’re locked in on their own work.”
As an oil painter, Dolphin works slowly. Each day she brings something new to her work, a certain color, texture, or perspective that accumulates over days of hard work. Spivak’s “open-door” policy encourages students to provide one another with constructive criticism even when work is incomplete, which Dolphin believes has pushed her as a painter. “I love the element of critique in the studios. I think it’s important to get comfortable with people seeing your work even at its worst. It just makes you even more confident in your finished product.”
Networking in the Art Community
Dolphin will be the first to tell you how much she loves getting out of her comfort zone and meeting other artists, saying “I’m a big proponent of talking to strangers!” On top of that she also just really loves discussing art. This sociable mindset showed her how to network as an artist in Denver. “When I’m at art openings, I like to be the person that says, ‘I love your work,’ and ask them about their art. I think making that verbal connection with an artist is important.”
Even as a Denver-based artist, Dolphin doesn’t limit herself to only making connections in the Denver art community. “I’m also a big proponent of making social media connections in person. As much of an oxymoron that is.” Dolphin’s drive to build connections beyond her immediate circles has led to exciting opportunities beyond local art events in Colorado. Recently, she shipped a piece to be a part of a show in Lawrence, Kansas. It was a juried exhibition, so it was an honor to be accepted. On top of being accepted, Dolphin also sold her piece. “That was really exciting for me!”
Personal Reflections on Living and Creating in Denver
Since moving to Denver, Dolphin has learned volumes as both an artist and a person. “One of the biggest benefits I’ve gotten out of my education is the confidence to experiment.”
Advice for Aspiring Artists Moving to Denver
As Dolphin joins the next generation of emerging artists in Denver, she is blazing a trail for other artists to follow. On top of telling artists to go out and observe the world around them, Dolphin encourages artists to look deeper into their favorite artwork. She shared how she always comes back to her favorite movie for inspiration. “Ocean’s 11 truly emboldened me in such a strange way!” Between the color, the humor, and human interactions, Dolphin said she always notices something new when she rewatches it.
For the painter, the film is a reminder to tell a story. “I think storytelling is something that all artists can benefit from, but especially artists like myself who work so intensively on these solitary images.” Dolphin shared how she uses storytelling in subtle ways. By painting situations that evoke familiar feelings, her work implies more than what is seen on a single canvas.
My Artistic Growth in Denver
Dolphin believes the guiding philosophy of her paintings is “giving attention to everyday tasks.” Through tirelessly observing the city around her, Dolphin has brought an elevated sense of realism to her work. By highlighting the seemingly ordinary in her paintings, she invites the viewer to engage more thoughtfully in the ordinary experiences of their day-to-day life.
“When people see that anything can be an oil painting, not just oligarchs being fed grapes, I think they start thinking, ‘What about this situation I just had today? What about me picking up a basket at the grocery store? Could that be a painting?’” By treating daily tasks with such affection, Caitlyn Dolphin shows viewers that art is all around them, no matter where they live.
Explore Your New Community
Sharing your perspective as an artist is invaluable, whether you want to depict the ordinary or the extraordinary. However, to be successful you’ll need technique as well as vision.
Having the right community around you can refine that technique. At Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design, our Fine Arts program prepares students with the technical and creative skills to share their one-of-a-kind ideas. Learn more about this career-focused program by requesting further information today. Additionally, you can get started by filling out an online application now!
