4 Local Colorado Artists You Should Check Out

Coloradans know the value of local creations. With hometown craft breweries, local crafts shops, and plenty of family-owned restaurants, it's clear that Coloradans pride themselves on making something incredible right at home. The Centennial State is bursting with talented artists from all walks of life. Here are four local Colorado artists you should check out.

Artist Spotlight: Brooks Engel

Brooks Engel is the creative genius behind Nowhere Land, an outdoor and adventure-inspired apparel brand. His work reflects the rugged beauty of Colorado and other gorgeous American landscapes through stylized work of wildlife and nature. His bold color palettes make Nowhere Land designs stand out from other brands, while the somewhat vintage designs give each piece a charming sense of familiarity. YoColorado is proud to have Engel’s work as part of our artist series. Catch some of our favorite designs in our collection of men’s Colorado shirts.

Musician Spotlight: ELLSWORTH

Denver local Megan Rose Ellsworth has been writing and performing music since she was a kid. She entered the Colorado music scene with degrees from the award-winning Music Business and Songwriting programs at the University of Colorado Denver.

Now, she’s making a name for herself as lyrical folk singer ELLSWORTH. Her melancholic melodies are a moving backdrop to the raw sincerity of her lyrics, putting her into the genre beside beloved artists like Regina Spektor or Angus & Julia Stone. Her passion for music combines with learned skills in composition and mastering, creating a fresh and intimate sound that you’ll definitely want to keep an eye on.

Artist Spotlight: Molly Berger

Ceramic artist Molly Berger has been refining her skills throughout Colorado residences at Carbondale Clay Center and Snowmass Village’s Andersen Ranch Arts Center. Her pieces explore the intersection of utility and beauty, leaving viewers with a sense of rustic warmth.

Many of her exhibits, including “Utensils and Tiny Rituals,” spotlight pieces that could pass as antique tools—until you take a closer look. The surreal twist on tools and utensils encourages viewers to evaluate how we see and attach ourselves to otherwise unremarkable objects. Berger continues to show her work both locally and nationally, creating pieces and exhibits that turn even the most ordinary objects into the extraordinary.

Musician Spotlight: YaSi

Denver native YaSi delivers fresh, soulful R&B tunes that reflect her unique and authentic self. As a first-generation American daughter of Persian immigrants, YaSi creates music that reflects her lived experience: balancing influences from two different worlds. Her music is an alluring blend of Eastern and Western, joy and passion, and optimism and realism. YaSi is perfect for both a smooth jam session or a more meaningful deep dive into her lyrics, making her one of our favorite local Colorado artists you should check out.

YaSi isn’t new to the Colorado music scene—having toured with the likes of iyla, Zara Larsson, and more in the past—but she’s reemerging after a relatively quiet 2020. New and old fans alike should get excited about where she’ll go from here.