Meet 3 Artists Participating in KissFist Mural Festival

Artist: Nico Cathcart. Grow-Miami Awall Festival, December 2024

Artist Kate Fitzpatrick works to make mural festivals accessible to a community historically excluded from them. And it is‘It started out great. Fitzpatrick is the founder KissFist mural festivala celebration of artists from the deaf community. The three-day festival will take place October 17-19, 2025 at RiNo ArtPark in Denver, Colorado.

Fitzpatrick is a mural artist who has participated in many festivals over the years, and it was at one of those events that the idea for the KissFist Mural Fest was born. “I am a CODA (Child of Deaf Adult) and grew up in the deaf community,” She told My Modern Met earlier this year. “At the end of this festival, there was an awards ceremony that was presented in spoken English. My family was with me, and since there was no interpreter, my partner (who is also a CODA) stepped in and translated the event for my deaf family.”

“This is certainly not the first time something like this has happened, and it won’t be the last, but something about this particular time got me exhausted“,” she explained. “I wanted to be at a mural festival where Deaf culture was centered. I wanted to be around deaf artists, deafblind, hard of hearing, and CODA. I thought that would be incredibly fun. And that’s where the idea for the KissFist Mural Festival began.”

10 artists are scheduled to participate in the first annual festival. “A big part of the festival is creating a mural opportunity for artists who don’t have an opportunity yet, so we have a mix of experienced mural artists and new artists,” Fitzpatrick says.

One of the artists you will see at the festival is… Eileen Mansfield. “Art is the visual language of culture,” she tells My Modern Met. “Participating in KissFist is great because it allows me to combine my artistic talents with my culture and language, and showcase this intersectionality to a broader audience.” Her mural will be called Blessing ASL: embrace the earth. “It is an expression of the powerful, uplifting power of nature. The art aims to depict the natural world as an equivalent, where I am just a human, defined by my gift of American Sign Language.”

Pope’s Christmas It will also be painted. “I’m excited to work with other deaf and hard of hearing artists!” She shares. “Growing up hard of hearing but communicating verbally, then getting a cochlear implant as an adult, it was easy at times to feel like I was floating between two worlds and not quite fitting into either world. I often work in the hearing world, and I have found ways to do that very comfortably, but it is encouraging and comforting to be surrounded by other deaf and disabled people who “They experience the world more similarly.”

KissFest represents an “attractive challenge” for Popham. “I have never worked on such a large scale or on such a short time frame before. I have often wanted to paint on this scale but have felt held back by not having the time or necessarily the space to put together a painting of this size, and I am so happy to have this opportunity now.”

You will also meet the artist Nico Cathcart At the festival. “As a deaf/hard of hearing woman, I am always advocating for my community. There is so much stigma and misunderstanding about what it means to be a deaf person, that I strive to be a bridge between the two worlds. However, doing so often means that I am the only deaf person around.”

KissFist is a valuable way for Cathcart and other artists to be present in the community. “Providing safe spaces like this is so important to highlight and uplift the deaf community, which is largely left out of the conversation when it comes to the arts,” says Cathcart. “Festivals like this break down those barriers, and I’m so honored to be part of the inaugural event. It’s so important to use art to talk about important things, and events like this allow us to share the Deaf experience!”

If you’re in Denver, be sure to visit these other participating artists and creatives KissFist mural festival From October 17 to October 19, 2025 at RiNo ArtPark. Painting from 10 am to 4 pm daily.

KissFist Mural Fest is a celebration of artists from the deaf community. The three-day festival will take place October 17-19, 2025 at RiNo ArtPark in Denver, Colorado.

10 artists are scheduled to participate in the first annual festival. “A big part of the festival is creating a mural opportunity for artists who don’t have an opportunity yet, so we have a mix of experienced mural artists and new artists,” says festival founder Kate Fitzpatrick.

One of the artists you will see at the festival is Eileen Mansfield. “Participating in KissFist is great because it allows me to combine my artistic talents with my culture and language, and showcase this intersectionality to a broader audience.”

Artist: Eileen Mansfield. A mockup of the ASL blessing wall concept: Embracing the Earth. This image is a digital representation created from the original handmade tiles and a sketch to illustrate the final design.

You’ll also meet artist Nico Cathcart at the festival. “Festivals like this break down those barriers, and I’m so honored to be part of the inaugural event. It’s so important to use art to talk about important things, and events like this allow us to share the Deaf experience!”

Artist: Nico Cathcart. Blossom – South Bend, Indiana, Mural Mania, July 2025 (Photo: @sidewinder3000, Michael D. Starcevich)

Artist: Nico Cathcart. Sign of the Times – Morganton, NC, March 2025

Natalia Popham will also be drawing. “I’m excited to work with other deaf and hard of hearing artists!” It’s a challenge for her. “I have often wanted to paint on this large scale but have been frustrated by not having the time or necessarily the space to put up a painting of this size, and I am thrilled to have this opportunity now.”

Artist: Natalia Popham

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My Modern Met granted permission to display images by KissFist.

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