RMCAD is made up of hundreds of talented artists and small business owners, so in honor of this year’s Small Business Saturday on November 25, RMCAD is proud to present its first-ever Small Business Saturday Gift Guide! This guide is composed of 21 artists and online store owners who call RMCAD their home, including students, faculty members, alumni, and staff members. This diverse gift guide is perfect for those seeking the right gift for friends and family!
For the Outdoor Enthusiast
Lea Greenwood
Illustration Alumni/Staff Member
Lea Greenwood’s series of prints are the perfect way to add a pop of color to the home of any animal lover in your life. Her prints are effortlessly tied to one another, with a complete tarot card deck of 78 illustrations coming soon, making Greenwood one of our most anticipated artists. Be sure to continue checking her Etsy!
Brenda Lyons
Liberal Arts/Illustration Faculty
Brenda Lyons does a little bit of everything from painting to prints, but also remarkable jewelry. Lyons’ leather and feather pieces are inspired by the beauty of the natural world with just a “touch of fantasy.” With necklaces and earrings in stock, her jewelry is perfect for that outdoorsy boho chic friend!
Daniel Logan
Illustration Alumni
A RMCAD alum and Air Force veteran, Daniel Logan is the face behind DALO Art + Design. Logan’s “Colorado Collection” depicts a variety of wildlife native to our great state that come in an array of different dimensions! His pieces are exactly what you need to fill any open wall in your home or for gifting to the Colorado local in your life.
Jess Moore
Foundations Faculty
Jess Moore’s simple yet striking laser-cut wood signs are influenced by her time working in Teton National Park, which is apparent in her rustic silhouette style. Her store is full of charmingly crafted decor that allows you to customize text on top of beautiful biomes such as the ocean, desert, and mountains.
For the HGTV Fan
Anna Valenti
Fine Arts Faculty
Anna Valenti’s stunning work as a ceramic artist is uniquely inspired by textiles. As you peruse her shop, you will see the motif of meticulously woven baskets, vases, and trays. She shared that her largest inspiration comes from “family traditions of weaving, gardening, and jerry-rigging.”
Whitney Grimm
Graphic Design Alumni
Whitney Grimm’s modern abstracts have us enchanted! Her piece “Untitled – No. 3” is neutral and raw, a refreshingly unexpected combination. Similarly, Grimm’s other works explore the limitless quality of the color white, ideal for decorating living rooms and bedrooms.
Agnes Ma
Fine Arts Faculty
Plant lovers in particular will fall for Agnes Ma’s “Agnes in the Arctic” vase. This sleek receptacle was inspired by Ma’s recent residency in the Arctic Circle. The vase’s crystalline glaze is evocative of a frozen glacier and lucky for you, is far more hospitable for plant life!
Awesome Apparel
Lucus Johnson
On-Campus Art Education Student
Similar in style to Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, Lucus Johnson is the student behind the rebellious and fun fashion brand, Odd!ty. Johnson’s colorful style was honed early on in school, but not in the classroom. Johnson started selling sticker and t-shirt designs in high school that he completed between classes and on his lunch breaks.
Caitlin MacLaughlin
Fashion Design Faculty
Caitlin MacLaughlin aka Caitlin Mac’s fun, funky, and functional backpacks make us wish it were back-to-school season. Kids and adults alike will be ecstatic to receive one of these bags. Whether it’s for hauling books across campus or packing for weekend trips, these backpacks are a must-have!
Sean McGowan
On-Campus Fine Arts Student
Ok, it might seem like cheating to put Sean McGowan under the apparel section as their website is primarily about their comic strip “Sloan’s Lake” but that would be discounting just how adorable their merch is. Sloan’s Lake is a non-profit organization that creates comic strips, but also adorable apparel, as shown by the baseball cap featuring Bea the Bee.
Gabriel Medina
Fashion Design Faculty
A quick look at Gabriel Medina’s website, Yocisco, and you’ll see highlights from Univision, the Denver Post, and a testimonial from NFL player Michael Sam. Medina founded Yocisco over 10 years ago as a company that creates quality athletic apparel and luggage. For the gym-lover in your life, we recommend one of Yocisco’s waterproof backpacks or duffles.
Stellar Stocking Stuffers
Sean Barragan
Illustration Alumni
Sean Barragan’s Pharocious Art is equally spiritual and fantastical. Barragan’s striking prints depict fantastical encounters with unique cultural iconography from all around the globe. In particular, we recommend checking out his mugs for the tea or coffee drinker in your life, who is looking for a cozy design to wrap their hands around this winter season.
Alexis Sander
Online Illustration Student
Who says you need a traditional stocking to hold small gifts? This holiday season, we recommend mixing it up and using Alexis Sander’s tote to store your stocking stuffers. Sanders is an online illustration student with a remarkable career ahead, one of many we will keep an “eye” on.
Madison Lawrence
Illustration Alumni
Do you have an artist on your gift list who always wants to improve their craft? Why not give them the gift of feedback? Don’t worry, Madison Lawrence will handle the critiques. Lawrence will provide video feedback and recommendations on a piece of submitted artwork of your choosing.
Under $50
Ellie Rusinova
Foundations/Illustration Faculty
We all have at least one person in our life who loves the holidays, but also secretly wishes it were still spooky season. Lucky for you, Ellie Rusinova, the co-founder of Mad Tatters, along with her husband Brandan Styles, is here to help! Among their many designs and products, their Krampus Candle will combine the spirit of Halloween with Christmas folklore!
Benjamin Hummel
Illustration Faculty
Middle schoolers are perhaps the most difficult age group to shop for, so to win over your nieces and nephews, check out Benjamin Hummels’ YA novel, “The Time Club.” This book is perfect for anyone who can read between a sixth and ninth-grade level, and enjoys conspiracies, history, and time travel!
Virginia Larrea
Interior Design Faculty
Virginia Larrea’s beautiful designs on her online store Studio VL Designs are playful abstracts that look great on just about anything. However, our favorite of Larrea’s creations has to be her journals. Skechers, writers, and journalers alike will all be inspired by her cover designs, ready to let their creativity flourish inside the journal.
Anthony Benedetto
Illustration Alumni
NOVA NIMBUS is the creation of RMCAD alum Anthony Benedetto. He has worked on projects such as “Ben 10,” “Star Trek: Lower Decks,” as well as “The Boys: Diabolical.” Benedetto’s sleek style is reminiscent of what you might find in a comic book, perfect for graphic novel lovers in need of remarkable home decor.
For the Fine Art Collector
Katherine Ingui
Art Education Faculty
For those looking to go the extra mile this holiday season, be sure to check out the work of Katherine Ingui! Her ceramic wall hangings make for an incredible conversation starter. Experienced and novice fine art collectors alike will admire the fragility and naturalistic style found in Ingui’s works.
Kelsey Weirick
Illustration Alumni
Give true beauty this holiday season and gift a loved one Kelsey Weirick’s “Cloud Painting.” Weirick’s oil paintings have a gentle, meditative quality that is certain to make you feel welcome in any room. If these hues aren’t your go-to colors, then check out some of Weirick’s other pieces!
Shayna Cohn
Fine Arts/Foundations Faculty
Last, but certainly not least, “Candeloopra” by Shayna Cohn, which is just as fun to say out loud as it is to look at, is a candelabra that can’t help but make you smile. Cohn’s store is full of many joyous candle holders waiting for you to explore!
holiday season! For those around Denver, come attend RMCAD’s Artist’s Alley on December 1 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. MT, where several students will be exhibiting and selling their work. Happy Holidays from RMCAD!
