The Women’s Caucus for Art Colorado Chapter created a collection of 12 murals to highlight the significant contributions of Colorado women artists and I’m honored in one of them.
The large 4′.2″ ft. by 5′.3″ ft. portable canvas murals are now displayed at the Colorado State Capitol Rotunda Gallery to introduce Coloradans and visitors to the art and impact of these artist honorees.
The 12 artists honored include:
· Elisabeth Spalding (1868–1954), oil & watercolor painter
· Eppie Archuleta (1922–2014), master weaver honored by the Smithsonian
· Gerda Rovetch (1924–present), pastels & watercolor painter
· Betty Woodman (1930–2018), sculptor, painter, ceramicist, teacher
· Sally Elliott (1937–present), painter, community organizer
· Carlotta Espinoza (1943–present), muralist, printmaker, sculptor, art activist
· Senga Nengudi (1946–present), sculptor & performance artist
· Jean Smith (1951–present), ceramicist, WCACO co-founder
· Zoa Ace (1951–present), internationally exhibiting painter
· Annette Coleman (1956–present), public art installation artist, community organizer
· Jane DeDecker (1961–present), sculptor, Suffragette Washington Monument
· Melanie Yazzie (1966–present), printmaker/teacher with her Indigenous viewpoint
The exhibition, “Living Tradition. Past. Present. Future. Colorado Women Artists,” features large over-size portraits, each measuring 4 feet by 5 feet, portraying women and their work whose talent, vision, and social impact have shaped Colorado’s cultural landscape from 1868 to today. The murals are being displayed in the Capitol’s Gallery, with additional works by the participating mural artists showcased in the Governors and Lt. Governors offices.
The exhibit will be available for public viewing through March 2026. Admission to the Capitol is free, with visiting hours from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
“These murals are the realization of a dream,” said Annette Coleman, mural co-chair and honoree. “Women artists have always been at the forefront of our creative sector. Our state wouldn’t be the beacon of arts and humanity without their courage, their work and most of all their art inspiring stronger, more inclusive communities throughout Colorado.”
The mural project was launched by WCACO more than three years ago to celebrate Colorado women artists whose creative legacies extend beyond the studio—recognizing their perseverance, community leadership, and contributions to Colorado’s creative sector.
Designed to highlight different mediums, cultural diversity, community engagement of artist honorees and to encourage young women to pursue their dreams of becoming a success in the creative sector.
The portraits are all done in black and white, the artist’s faces are surrounded by their works in color that often encroach into the portrait area much like art does in an artist’s life. This design forms a cohesive theme that weaves together a diverse landscape of creativity.
The Colorado Chapter of the Women’s Caucus for Art is marking its 35th anniversary in tandem with the exhibition. Founded nationally in 1972, the WCA is a 53-year-old organization affiliated with the College Art Association and recognized as a United Nations NGO.
WCA National is widely respected for its Lifetime Achievement Awards, which have honored groundbreaking international artists such as Yoko Ono and Judy Chicago and our very own Colorado based Senga Nengudi. The organization remains committed to advancing equity in the arts, creating opportunities for women, and supporting art activism worldwide.
Colorado Public Radio Interview link
