Affinity, attention, affection

By Catie Michel

September 4 - 25, 2026

cy baird Gallery

Catie Michel is a scientific illustrator and artist guided by collaborative storytelling and our connection to the natural world. Her background in field research, ornithology, and science communication grounds her work in attention, observation, and inquiry. Finding great community in shared curiosity, she examines themes of connection (human/more-thanhuman), access, advocacy, and the intersection of science and art. Catie explores what, in nature, is capturing our attention and what, in us, is looking back.

This series examines visual similarities between unrelated species, highlighting patterns and forms that repeat in nature. Paintings of birds perched on shells they resemble explore these coincidences of shape and color, pairing organisms that would likely never interact in nature. These works reveal unexpected connections across nat ure, reminding us that shared patterns exist even where relationships do not. In a time of increasing ecological and social fragmentation, they offer a quiet reminder that we are all linked in ways we may not immediately see.

The Grove Exhibit

Exhibit and Auction by CB State of Mind

September 4 - 25, 2026

Nancy Tredway Gallery

In the heart of the Gunnison Valley, our strength lies in our connection. Much like an aspen grove—where thousands of individual trees share a single, vast root system—our community flourishes when we support one another. Call for Artists: submit mixed-media art pieces inspired by the aspen grove. Whether through texture, color, or form, we want to see your interpretation of how our roots bind us together.

Access the auction via the QR code or this link:
Grove Exhibit Auction