“Formed by Fire” Art Exhibit Explores the Relationship Between Fire, Forests and Resilience in Northern Colorado
This fall, the Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaborative (NoCo Fireshed) invites the public to experience Colorado’s forests through a new lens with Formed by Fire: A NoCo Fireshed Art Exhibit, featuring original work created through the Collaborative’s inaugural Artist-in-Residence Program.
The exhibit will be on display at the Center for Creativity in Fort Collins from September 22 through October 11, 2026, with a public Artist Reception on October 1 from 6–8 p.m.
Created in partnership with the Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests, the Artist-in-Residence Program invited four visual artists to spend time immersed in Northern Colorado’s National Forests during summer 2026. Each artist explored landscapes and ecosystems shaped by both planned and unplanned fire, creating an original piece inspired by their experience.
Formed by Fire brings those four perspectives together, exploring the connections between fire, forests, people and what it means for Colorado landscapes and communities to be resilient because of fire—not simply in spite of it.
“Art gives us a different way to understand our relationship with fire,” said Bridgette Windell, Communications and Engagement Manager for the Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaborative. “These artists had the opportunity to experience the forest firsthand and translate complex ideas about fire, stewardship and resilience into something people can see, feel and connect with.”
Fire is an essential ecological process in many of Colorado’s forests. Through proactive forest management—including thinning, prescribed fire and other restoration practices—NoCo Fireshed partners are working across boundaries to help create healthier forests, safer communities and more reliable water supplies.
The Artist-in-Residence Program expands that work beyond traditional forest management by creating new opportunities for people to connect with these landscapes and better understand the role fire plays within them.
Following its Fort Collins debut, Formed by Fire is intended to travel to communities across Colorado’s Front Range through 2027, bringing the artists’ work and the story of forest resilience to new audiences.
The exhibit is free and open to the public.
Formed by Fire Exhibit Details
On Display: September 22–October 11, 2026, Center for Creativity | Fort Collins, Colorado
Public Artist Reception: October 1, 6–8 p.m.
Learn more about the artists, their work and the NoCo Fireshed Artist-in-Residence Program at:
https://nocofireshed.org/noco-fireshed-artist-in-residence-program/
About the Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaborative
The Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaborative brings together more than 40 partners working across Northern Colorado to increase the pace and scale of proactive forest management. By coordinating work across land ownerships and jurisdictions, the Collaborative works toward healthier forests, safer communities and reliable water supplies while helping ensure Colorado’s forests remain resilient for generations to come.