Kayli Cottonwood is an interdisciplinary artist based in Denver, Colorado, whose work bridges the realms of science and art to create a compelling visual language rooted in materiality and process. Graduating with distinction from Metropolitan State University of Denver in 2024 with a BFA in Studio Art and a minor in Entrepreneurship, Kayli’s practice reflects a deep connection to their namesake tree, the cottonwood, which inspires consideration of interconnections between human and non-human life.

Operating within a research-based art practice, Cottonwood explores a variety of materials and techniques to uncover the historical, cultural, and ecological significance of each. Their approach often incorporates innovative methods, blending traditional techniques with contemporary concepts and scientific research to create works that reflect the human experience of natural systems. Through this practice, Cottonwood has developed a visual language in which materiality serves as vocabulary and technique provides structure, while the meditative labor of creation becomes the method through which they tell a story.

Photo Courtesy of Metrosphere at MSU Denver

UPCOMING SOLO EXHIBITION

Exploring the space between what is real and constructed, Invoke simulates both nature and spiritualism through displaced materials and a personal spiritual language. Each piece becomes an invocation through process and material, forming a living ritual.