Celebrating Creativity at Aims for National Arts & Humanities Month

The art community in and around Aims is inclusive and dynamic. Anyone is welcome to get involved by taking classes, exploring art on campus or utilizing resources for creative creation. Stephanie Newton, Chair of Visual & Performing Arts at Aims, invites everyone to participate. “Studying art is an avenue to better understand what it means to be human, to make connections with our human ancestors over the millennia, and to bring meaning to our daily lives,” she said. Creating art gives one the means to express themselves and provides skills that include critical thinking and problem solving using both analog and digital technologies.”

At Aims, arts programs are hands-on and engaging. Students can pursue an art-focused associate degree in either Art History or Studio Art, gaining a strong foundation in both creative practice and cultural context. Other students are welcome to engage with art as an elective or general education course that inspires you. Whether you're studying the stories behind art or building hands-on skills in painting, sculpture and design, you'll be learning from practicing artists in small classes with personalized mentorship. These programs are designed for transfer to four-year institutions, helping students turn their passion for the arts into advanced study or creative careers. 

“Aims is a great place to take art classes,” Newton said. Benefits include that most of the materials for the courses are covered by lab fees and they don't require textbooks in most cases. The classes are small, with 14 students or fewer, resulting in a very low instructor-to-student ratio that allows for more guidance and one-on-one time with teachers. Aims offers classes in the morning, afternoon, and evening. 

At Aims, students can also earn an associate degree in Graphic Design or Animation, integrating art, storytelling and technology to create engaging visual experiences. In the Graphic Design track, students master typography, layout, interactive media and industry-specific software to craft effective print and digital communications. In Animation, learners develop skills in 2D/3D techniques, storyboarding, motion and visual effects, building a marketable portfolio for animation, film, games or multimedia fields. Both paths emphasize hands-on projects, student critiques and real-world presentations, enabling creative technologists to transition into or launch their careers in the digital creative industries.

Aims welcomes community members not seeking credit to enroll in courses through the Continuing Education program and they are open to all skill levels. These experiences are the perfect way to spark creativity, explore new techniques and reconnect with your artistic side. This fall, you can dive into color and expression through watercolor, acrylic painting or discover the beauty of form with photography, drawing or ceramics. If you’re eager to work with your hands in fresh and exciting ways, try your hand at lost-wax casting to create silver rings or learn to make fused glass decorations. For those who enjoy unique crafts, Aims offers opportunities to learn origami, crochet, woodworking, creative welding or blacksmithing. Explore the offerings and sign up for a course. 

Any Aims student attending this school year can submit their stunning creations to the 2026 Aims Student Art Show, from mid-November to mid-March. For credit, continuing education, and concurrent enrollment, high school students are all eligible to participate. In the 2025 show, artists ranged in age from 17 to 70. It doesn’t matter what you are studying at Aims, to put a spotlight on your work. Last year, an automotive student displayed an adorned car window at the art show. Local artists will jury the exhibition. Those selected for Best in Show are eligible for an Aims scholarship. It opens with a public reception on Friday, April 10, 2026. 

Another opportunity to display your creativity is the Aims Review. It is the campus literary and arts magazine, published each spring semester. The publication seeks poetry, fiction, nonfiction, visual art and multimedia art. If selected, your artwork will be published either in the magazine, online or both. Submissions are accepted year-round, with an annual publishing cut-off of December 31. 

“Be brave,” Newton said.“Submit your work to the Aims Student Art Show and the Aims Review. These are great ways to boost your portfolio and gain experience discussing your artwork.”

In addition to the traditional visual arts, there are other opportunities to create on campus. From music and theater to the community lab and makerspaces, there is something here for everyone to create.

Enjoy Art in and Around Aims

Below is a selection of public art pieces and art spaces to explore on and around Aims campuses. 

Ed Beaty Hall Gallery | Greeley Campus

The gallery is a vibrant space dedicated to showcasing the creativity of students, faculty and guest artists. Enjoy visual art, offering the community a chance to experience diverse exhibitions that inspire, challenge and celebrate artistic expression.

Currently, the stunning work of M.C. Zimmer is on display with the “A Completely Plausible Story” exhibit. Attend the artist reception happening on October 7 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. It gives you the chance to meet the artist and experience the playful and intellectually rich works firsthand.

Zimmer says this about the exhibit, “My art is the result of a compulsion to put things together--colors, textures, images, patinas, shapes--with items I have at hand and in a way that amuses me. I am always surprised and gleeful when others are amused, too.” 

The next art show begins on October 28. Aims alumna Mel Calderon will display an installation in the Ed Beaty Gallery, titled "This Tastes Like Cardboard: Memories of Junk Food." This exhibit will be entirely made out of recycled cardboard. It stirs nostalgia for the foods of her youth. The reception will be held on November 11 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Junk food will be served at the event. 

Safety and Security Mural | Ed Beaty Hall Room 127 | Greeley Campus 

A mural was recently completed in the Aims Safety and Security office by high school junior and Aims student Lexi Didlake. Safety and Security wanted to add elements that would make their office space and study area more welcoming for students, so they held a contest and Lexi’s design was chosen. "I really wanted to include aspects of Colorado, so I added animals like a bear, a ram, a prairie dog,” she said. “I also added a night sky and stars to symbolize achievement for Aims. And all the animals were going in an upward motion all together to symbolize how everyone at Aims is friendly and we all help each other achieve the same goal."

You Belong Mural | Student Commons | Greeley Campus

Artist and Aims alumna Felisha Bustos was selected to create a mural at the renovated student commons in 2022. The piece was a visual display about resilience, determination, grit and strength. Bustos incorporated symbols of dreams, goals and endless possibilities. The portraits in the mural recognize that all are welcome at Aims. Bustos chose each person because their stories reflect the diversity of ages, races and walks of life. The mural took about 250 hours to complete. 

Other pieces of art in and around Aims include: 

• The Tres Arcos sculpture was designed as a collaborative project for Aims' 40th Anniversary in the outdoor classroom space. There is also a Tres Arcos near the PERC.
• The fountain outside the Allied Health and Sciences building displays a sculpture of blue herons, called "Morning Mist" by Greeley-based artist Gregg Todd. It was dedicated to “the Aims faculty and staff who give our students wings.”
• In 2022, Aims students painted two public pianos surrounding the Student Commons.
• Stephanie Ruelas, an Aims alumna, designed the "Where Art and Science Meet Mural” while she was a student. It provides a dynamic exterior focal point for the Aims Loveland Campus in downtown. Ruelas completed the mural in 2012.
• The City of Greeley commissioned a traffic cabinet piece near Cornerstone, created by Chloe Kummerfeld, a high school student who attended Union Colony School, located across the street. "Utility Box Anatomy" was inspired by what could be inside the box. 

At Aims, art is more than a program — it’s part of everyday life.