Katie Taft uses the disciplines of sculpture and photography to explore the real and the imaginary. She creates and then photographs figurative sculptures in contexts that bring them to life. Taft believes that creativity is the single most important tool for any person, of any age, position or place in life; it is what keeps us moving through good times and bad, in work and in play. Katie Taft was born and raised in Colorado, spent 12 years in the Northwest, and returned to Denver four years ago. In 2001, Katie received her B.F.A. from Marylhurst University and has studied political science with an emphasis in social justice issues at Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA. Both art and her studies in social justice influence Katie’s life. Taft infuses her work with universal stories from myth, folklore, philosophy, and religion and explores how these stories manifest themselves in our lives. It is an “exploration of the real and the imaginary, the material and the idea.” She has considerable experience working with youth at the Children’s Museum in Portland, Oregon and in Colorado through various arts organizations including PlatteForum and Working with Artists. Taft’s work has been showcased throughout Colorado, Oregon, and New Mexico. In 2006, Katie received Westword’s Mastermind Award.