Conversations with Kimberly Nick Gutierrez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Nick Gutierrez

Kimberly Nick, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve wanted to make art for as long as I can remember. I started by teaching myself to draw as a child and gradually became more serious about my art throughout high school, taking more art-oriented classes. After graduating, I went to the Santa Fe University of Art and Design, where I studied Communication Design for a year before the school permanently closed. Afterward, I transferred to Regis University, majoring in Visual Arts and Design and graduating in 2020. Throughout this journey, I’ve worked on using my art as a method of expression and communication, while also developing my graphic design skills.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t say it has been smooth. As I previously mentioned, the first university I attended permanently closed after my first year. I was forced to transfer and start over again in another city where I only knew a few people. Then in 2020, I did not have a graduation due to the pandemic. It felt like my university was shutting down again, just in a different way. I’ve also struggled with depression for the majority of my life and use my art as a way to work through those feelings and express them. In the past year, I’ve dealt with the loss of my beloved cat, Cleo, along with the fallout of an abusive relationship and escaping a toxic work environment. However, I’m glad to say that things have been looking up recently. Although I still have my struggles, I have been able to create a great support system, surround myself with wonderful people, and find incredible opportunities to share my art with others.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I consider myself a visual artist and graphic designer. My visual art focuses on topics such as identity, Latino culture, growing up in the frontera, astronomy, physics, and religion. My most recent work has been done using ink and colored pencil but I have also worked extensively with gouache paint. I also really enjoy printmaking. I tend to prefer acrylic plates that I can etch by hand but I don’t create work using this method often since my access to presses is limited. One body of work I am proud of is a series of three portraits I made that pay homage to my family and our Latino culture for the exhibition Nepantla. The show was organized by Tony Ortega and they will be on display at the Museum of Art at Fort Collins until January 5, 2025. It explores what it feels like to be torn between two cultures, Nepantla being a Nahuatl word that means “in-between” or “in the middle of it”. I’ve recently been exploring this topic in other bodies of work as someone who grew up in a border town, has lived in Mexico and the United States, and often experiences a feeling of not belonging anywhere. It was wonderful to be a part of an exhibition with other artists who share these feelings, it made me feel less alone on this journey. On the graphic design side, I enjoy making posters and icons. I recently made a small series of posters for a show at the Temple organized by CHANT Cooperative that were an homage to the days when the building was a punk-rock venue. The posters I made used images of the Temple, found images from local magazines, and featured local musicians. They advertised fake shows and included small easter eggs referencing the building’s history. This is another series I’m particularly proud of and would love to expand upon. Since the show at the Temple was about portals, I think that these posters almost act as portals. They’re little windows to things that could be or things that might be in another lifetime. I also enjoy creating these types of posters because they allow me to practice my design skills while giving me a little hope that I might one day see the bands I feature in them.

How do you think about luck?
I think I’ve been blessed with my fair share of good fortune over the years. I’ve seen it in the connections I’ve made over the years, the places I’ve been able to collaborate with, and the opportunities that have come my way. Even though my journey hasn’t been easy, I’ve found myself in the right place at the right time more often than not. I’ve also been able to meet and work with people who have given me the opportunity to solidify myself as an artist in Denver or who have put me in touch with other influential artists. It’s all culminated in a fantastic network of people and experiences. Even the bad fortune I’ve been dealt with has served a purpose in providing me with life lessons. These lessons have helped me become more resilient, learn my worth, and remind me that even the darkest moments of my life don’t last forever. All in all, I’m just happy I decided to still be here and to have opportunities to share my work with others.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bloodgulchblue.wixsite.com/midnightscreeningart
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midnightscreeningart/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midnightscreeningart/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-gutierrez-76396a98/
• Other: https://www.redbubble.com/people/d-ambrosia/shop?asc=u&ref=account-nav-dropdown

Image Credits
All images are credited to Kimberly Nick Gutierrez.