2024 Resident Artists

Jasmine N. Maldonado Dillavou

Jasmine Nicole Maldonado Dillavou is a boricua poet, performer, mixed-media artist, educator and curator based out of Colorado. Dillavou received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Visual and Performing Arts from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. She has shown work at numerous exhibition spaces including Understudy, The Lab on Santa Fe and A.I.R Gallery NYC. She co-directs a program called Non Book Club Book Club in Southern Colorado and runs a curation program that highlights queer, BIPOC and female stories. Her passions lie in documenting the personal and complex Latinx Experience.

Zaida Sever

I strive to tell the truth in the imaginary. Among art’s many powers, the ability to capture the viewer’s empathy is among its greatest, even when what we are absorbing only exists in fiction. Storytelling and representation are at the heart of my work, most often via character design and dynamic scenes. I’ve found illustration to be an incredible outlet for expressing my love for being a biracial woman, even when I’m white-passing and I physically do not represent my black heritage. Thus, most of my personal works are love letters to black women and the multicultural experience from my perspective.

D Garrett

D Garrett is a visual artist/Muralist, residing in Denver Colorado. She creates her visual art with acrylic paint, as well as a variety of other media. As a self taught artist, D continues her artistic development through her own business that she has grown over 12 years, along with other collaborative creative outlets. Multiple canvas commissions, mural work, art shows, workshops, classes, and collaborations have helped drive D, and her work as a visual artist, and muralist forward. D also is currently involved in the 40 west Ambassador program, continuing to build an artist network and be directly involved with the art community in the 40 west district. Because of her passion for community building, D is also very active in local art, LGBTQIA, and alternative spiritual communities, bringing her love for art and unity with her in creative, inspirational ways.

Autumn Braley, Poet Laureate

As a writer, filmmaker, and visual artist, storytelling is an integral part of who I am. Even before I could read or write, I was drawn to the written word. I pretended to write on all of the fancy stationery my parents had, often finding myself in trouble for unraveling the fax machine and scribbling fake words on its expensive paper rolls. Those early experiences ignited a lifelong passion for rearranging reality through language, which finds its perfect expression in the art of poetry.

I am thrilled to be returning to my roots in the written word, eager to use poetry as a vehicle for community building and storytelling. Every individual possesses a unique and profound narrative, and I am committed to creating a platform where these stories can be shared and celebrated. There is a deep connection between physical space and cultural identity, and I am dedicated to fostering a sense of belonging and resilience within our community. Whether through poetry, prose, or other creative mediums, I am excited to collaborate with fellow storytellers to shape a vibrant and inclusive community where everyone's story matters.