We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Katelynn Mai-Fusco a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Katelynn , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

To choose the most meaningful project is a very hard thing to do as a creative. Every project brings about new challenges and triumphs that inform the next; and so on. However, there is one project that took extreme ambition and stands out amongst the rest. This project is a permanent installation at the Denver Children’s Museum titled “Bloom.”
“Bloom” is an interactive play space for toddlers. This zealous undertaking took a team of artists and designers several years to complete.
This fantastical garden is an escape for toddlers and their parents. A space where all the senses are activated by play, curiosity, and connection.
My role in this installation was bringing physical “light” and larger than life wonder to the space. Many of my pieces are sculptural “light” fixtures displayed on the ceiling throughout the space. I wanted my work to bring whimsy and wonder to an already enchanted land.
Words cannot describe how grateful I am to have been part of such a forward thinking project that brought every creatives vision to life. We dreamt big for this one, and made it happen.
Our hope is that this space is a gift for Denver’s young families for many years to come.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a Colorado native who grew up with a gentle woodworking Father and a strong creative Mother. I was deeply molded by our summer evenings spent camping on the Poudre River. The sounds of the Rocky Mountains slowly became my hallelujah song. I attended the University of Northern Colorado and got my BA in Fine Arts. This was my launching pad into my journey as a professional artist.

I eventually moved to NYC and attended Pratt Institute for my MFA. This time spent in the city gave me a unique perspective of the art world and the impact it has on society. I realized through my time there that I wanted my art to be interactive, and create a space for healing.

Once I moved back to Colorado, I began creating installations out of cut paper, fabric, sound, and light. The goal was to create a space where individuals could feel like they were in a “cave” full of materials mimicking the movement and sound of water. I wanted participants to feel like they were back in the “womb” in a sense. Experiencing the level of comfort and intimacy that we are so rarely greeted with in this life.

While creating art I have worked with kids for many years through non-profits and schools. The youth that I work with are the joy of my life. When I was an SEL coordinator I was able to do a lot of art therapy practices with kids. This experience really showed me the healing powers that art as a practice holds. My artwork is forever changed due to the youth in our community.

My hope is to keep creating immersive spaces for people of all ages. Whether its in museums, galleries, schools, public spaces; my goal is to make fantastical interactive and connective spaces for everyone.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is making the unseen, seen. What I mean by this is, as I create installations I think of feelings. The feeling of home, belonging, wonder, etc.
Feelings are what connect us, and they are unseen, but deeply known and felt.
I always aim to bring these known and felt feelings out in my work, allowing viewers to profoundly connect with each other and themselves.

So in reality, connection is the most rewarding part of making the unseen, seen.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

The road to being a creative and staying a creative is not linear. Sure, you can go to school get your degrees in Fine Arts, but life after that is up to your own creative visions and ambitions. The biggest thing non creatives always ask me once a big project is done is… “what’s next?” (I think everyone gets this question in life, but when it comes to a career in the arts its a constant) My work flow is going from one project to the next. Nothing is a constant. So I understand the impulse to ask this question, but in reality it can be disheartening. Especially when you don’t have something lined up.
The reality of my creative career is that I get about 5-10 no’s to every yes. I put myself out there a lot, and get rejected a lot. Its part of it. I have to be the right fit for whatever the project is, and a lot of times I am not. I don’t say this as a negative, I say it as a reality. I know every creative deals with the same thing. The opportunities I get are coveted and treated with immense care because I know how lucky a precious they are.
So instead of asking a creative “what’s next” just bask in their current creations with them. Being present is so rewarding.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.katelynnmaifusco.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delicatefables/

Image Credits
Photos of Bloom at Denver Children’s Museum