Art is a powerful tool of self-expression. Women have made huge strides in art, despite largely being forgotten throughout history — but, from waves of empowering feminist art, women are now getting more and more opportunities in various mediums.

Since March is Women’s History Month, it is important to highlight women artists in Fort Collins who express themselves through their respective mediums.

Maudlin Reach — @mello.artwork

Maudlin Reach utilizes vibrant colors and a unique combination of shapes and figures in her acrylic on canvas paintings. Her pieces are vibrant, provocative and fascinating. Many pieces contain images of female empowerment, such as gender symbols hidden in imagery. Many of her paintings are also quite spiritual and inspire a feeling of divine femininity.

Crystal Villanueva — @maniniphotos

Through digital photography, Crystal Villanueva challenges the traditional ideas of masculinity and femininity. Villanueva utilizes portraits but takes a creative twist with the use of colors and interesting scenery to tell a story of each model. Whether it is through traditional portrait photography or creative photography, Villanueva uses her medium to not only tell her story, but the stories of her clients. Her work can be seen on her Instagram or her website.

Riley Furmanek — @beyondthepale.goods

Riley Furmanek, the woman behind Beyond the Pale Goods, creates carefully crafted decor that can’t be bought at IKEA. Some of her eclectic pieces feature various ethically sourced animal skulls adorned with flowers wrapping around and through the eye sockets and presented in a delicate, handmade glass case — an almost haunting but nonetheless beautiful convergence of nature and aesthetic. To add to her collection of unique accent pieces, she makes dainty necklaces and earrings out of shells and asymmetrical glass plant cases.

Katie Gray — @kgrayartink

Katie Gray does live paintings and murals in Northern Colorado. Her pieces are vibrant, iridescent and psychedelic. They inspire reflection and evoke feminine energy. All the pieces are incredibly intricate and tell a beautiful story. Gray can also be found on Etsy.

Chelsea Gilmore — @chelseagilmoreart

Chelsea Gilmore is an installation and sculpture artist. Her installations combine form with place into ethereal pieces. The sculptures follow a style of circular geometric shapes in dreamy ambiance. Additionally, Gilmore creates 2D pieces in a similar style but with the addition of vibrant colors. Gilmore reconceptualizes both form and space, as well as sculpture and 2D. She can be found on her website. 

You’ve heard it before: Support women during Women’s History Month. While this, ideally, should be a principle held year-round, it’s especially important to reflect on how exactly to do this. For those who are interested in showing solidarity, one great way to do this is by supporting women, including those running small businesses, art galleries and restaurants.

Liz Kelton can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.