Meet Erin Kaden | Artist and Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erin Kaden and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erin, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
My favorite quote is from my favorite artist, Louise Bourgeois, who has been a huge inspiration and influence to me and the work I create. She said “Art is a guaranty of sanity”.
This saying is deeply meaningful for me as I have struggled with PTSD for over a decade now and I use art as my form of therapy. Creating and expressing myself through art has not always been easy to do, but it allows me to work through my thoughts in a way that makes sense to me and the feelings I aim to investigate.
I like her quote because it provides a sense of community and validation, to create is to be sane. If I am creating then I am being- I am me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am an artist who makes work about the human experience and how I cope with it —while struggling with my own mental health.
I feel that mental health is a huge factor that impacts more people than we as a community realize, and I find it incredibly important to make art about my experiences. In a way I view it as a form of community and communication to others who feel similar things I do and the intention is to make others feel less alone and feel like they matter; because we do.
Art is a language we can use to reach people in more ways than one. You aren’t just viewing a painting or a sculpture with your eyes, but you process it with your entire mind and soul.
The journey to get to where I am has been ongoing, artists have to forever commit to allowing themselves to create authentically, and I aim to stay on this journey for my entire life.
I would say the most difficult part of my journey so far has been my fear of failing or not fitting in a certain box. My first experience at a University wasn’t what I imagined and I was told by someone who I admired that I should “start making art that people want to buy”. As a 20 year old at the time, I didn’t understand how to process that comment and I decided to give up.
After years of feeling like something inside of me was missing, I realized it was art. When I developed a strong relationship with creating again, my life finally felt like I had my purpose back. I’ve gained a lot more confidence and bravery that I forgot I was capable of having and once I gave myself permission to authentically create again, I knew I would never look back.
I want the world to know that we are all capable of achieving greatness, no matter what anyone says, potential is a gift we all have that no one can actually take away- only we can take our potential away.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite spots in the city are spots involving nature or art!
I love spending time at the Denver Art Museum and then walking to City O’ City for some sweet and delicious cocktails and unique snacks. I love exploring the new exhibits and feeling the spark and joy of being in a safe place where art is celebrated.
I love how lush and green this beautiful state is, the Denver Botanic gardens are always a gorgeous and uplifting time.
Following the trails of flowers and studying things I don’t often get to see, while creating little sketches in my sketch book, bring me so much joy!
I think one of my favorite things about Denver is how many parks we have. No matter what part of town you are in, you can always find a lovely park to relax and spend time in. Washington Park is great for meeting friends and catching up after a long week, or my local park , James Bible Park, has so many areas to admire as well. Sometimes I just sit by the stream so I can hear nature’s natural sound track of being completely content!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I finished my BFA at University of Colorado Denver in May of 2022, and I had a professor there who gave me the courage to believe in myself again. Her name is Rian Kerrane, and she is the definition of a badass artist. Watching her through the years gave me so much inspiration to let go of the fear of failure I had. Her encouragement gave me the strength I needed to be proud of myself as a creator and be brave about the work I make.

Website: https://forjanestudio.etsy.com/

Instagram: @forjane