Out, Loud, and Proud: My Solo Debut at the Monica Horn Gallery

Written By Jay Cupcake

Happy Pride, everyone!

I am beyond thrilled to share some big news: My very first solo show is officially hanging at the Monica Horn Gallery within the Vintage Theatre in Aurora, Colorado!

While I don’t have a "perfect" wide-angle shot of the gallery to show you just yet (I was too busy soaking in the moment!), some things are better experienced in person anyway. If you’ve followed my work, you know I love to play with the boundaries of reality. For this show, I’ve brought together a collection of queer collages and digital fantasies that are designed to be as bold, colorful, and unapologetic as Pride itself.

Art Meets the Stage

What makes this show even more special is the atmosphere. The gallery is currently accompanying a fantastic production on the Vintage Theatre’s main stage. There is a specific kind of magic that happens when theater-goers step out during intermission and find themselves surrounded by art that mirrors the drama, emotion, and vibrancy of the performance they just witnessed.

My work in this show is a celebration of "The Queer Fantastic." It’s about reimagining our stories, layering our histories, and putting our joy front and center.

See It Before It’s Gone

The show will be up through the end of the month, coinciding with the run of the current production. If you are in the Denver/Aurora area, I would love for you to stop by, grab a drink at the bar, and wander through these digital dreams I’ve put on the walls.

  • Where: Monica Horn Art Gallery (Inside the Vintage Theatre)

  • Location: 1468 Dayton St, Aurora, CO 80010

  • When: Now through the end of the month

To everyone who has supported my creative journey from the first collage to this first solo show: Thank you. Seeing these pieces "out and proud" in a public space is a milestone I won't soon forget.

See you at the theatre!

Jay Cupcake

I’ve always believed that a great portrait is a collaboration, not just a click of a shutter. My name is Jay, and for over a decade, I’ve been capturing the vibrant, the surreal, and the unapologetically authentic. Recently relocated from the mountains of Colorado to the Twin Cities, I bring an editorial eye and a 'laughter-first' philosophy to every session.

My work spans the spectrum of the human experience—from photographing the Mayor of Denver for Civilian Magazine to creating high-concept digital collages featuring the icons of the drag and variety scene. Whether I’m building a complex 100-layer digital piece or capturing a clean, professional headshot, my goal is to make my subjects feel like the most powerful version of themselves. I don't just take pictures; I help personalities shine through.

https://www.jaycupcake.com
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