A look into the mind, heart and soul of an artist — Local artist’s work featured in Denver Art Museum

Caitlyn Cox’s first commissioned pieces were coffee mugs for folks in Weston County that she made in middle school. She is now being featured at the Denver Art Museum as part of its “Indomitably Indigenous” showcase.

The piece that caught the museum’s attention was Cox’s beadwork titled “Mind, Heart & Soul.” The artwork is a beaded representation of her inner self, according to her professional Facebook page, “Caitlyn’s Creative Coven.”

The piece was first featured in the “àyA Con Futurism Fashion Showcase,” an art and comic festival intended to empower Indigenous artists. The event is “more than a convention — it’s a celebration of identity, a space for storytelling, and a catalyst for justice and community healing,” according to the organization’s website.

Cox said she was reintroduced to her Native heritage when she and her mother,  visited their tribal center in Oklahoma. There, she began to immerse herself in her Native culture. During a visit to the Choctaw Nation Museum, Cox said, she was surrounded by Indigenous artwork, including pointillism paintings and beadwork.

“I was always told I was Native, but I never grew up around it,” Cox said. “This was the first time being exposed to so much of it.”

Cox applied her artistic skills to exploring her heritage. Entirely self-taught, she began with pointillism painting before eventually moving into beadwork.

“I get a lot of inspiration from family, friends and nature,” Cox said.

She explained that she spends a lot of time in nature, focusing on small details — such as patterns on insects — to inspire her.

“Mind, Heart & Soul,” on the other hand, came to her in a dream.

“I put down everything I was working on and began beading,” Cox said.

Working 12-hour days for two weeks straight, Cox completed the piece, which features a scale with an anatomical heart and brain on the opposite ends, balanced against one another. 

Cox said that the piece reflects her own autonomy — “where (her) mind and heart are in harmony, yet constantly weighing on each other.”

She added details to make the work more personal. The brain includes UV-reactive beads meant to represent inner thoughts and emotions that are often hidden. The heart is made with satin beads to signify the purity that people try to protect. At the center is a reflective mirror meant to encourage viewers to look into their soul, which Cox described as “a radiant blend of our mind and heart.”

The scale is constructed from buffalo bone and includes two buttons from Cox’s grandmother, tying the piece to her Indigenous roots.

“Everything was intentional,” Cox’s mother said.

Taylor said she has been overjoyed watching her daughter’s artistic skill grow and her deepening connection to her Native culture.

“We were never raised in our heritage,” Taylor said. “She has begun to rematriate herself and learn the beadwork.”

Rematriate is an Indigenous-focused concept intended to restore balance and right relationships with the land. Taylor believes Cox has started her journey with this movement through her artwork.

She said Cox has always been artistically inclined but is now gaining broader recognition. Cox commissions work for clients across the country, and being featured in a fine arts museum marked a milestone in her career.

“From working on it, to seeing it onstage, and now having it featured in a museum - I saw a whole life cycle in just a few months,” Cox said.

She not only hopes to inspire people globally but also to establish grassroots connections in her home community. She has worked to engage young people locally, including setting up a table at a school career day and handing out small bead kits during a trunk-or-treat event.

Cox said she became seriously involved in art during middle school and hopes to connect with children who may be considering a similar path.

“I just want to let the community know that art is an option,” Cox said.

 frequently books shows outside the area, where she meets fellow artists and builds professional connections.

“I go to everything and meet everybody,” she said.

Her mother said she has seen firsthand how that dedication benefits Cox.

“She is just ecstatic,” Taylor said. “She sees the potential of growing and getting her name out there as an artist.”

“Mind, Heart & Soul” will remain at the Denver Art Museum until the end of the “Indomitably Indigenous” showcase on Jan. 9.

Cox said she appreciates the support from the community where she grew up and encourages residents to visit the exhibit. She also maintains a Facebook, “Caitlyn’s Creative Coven,” where followers can stay up to date on her artistic endeavors.