Featured at West + Main Louisville: Matty Miller

Please join us in Louisville for First Friday, featuring photographer Matty Miller

Resting Space

920 Main Street

04.04.2025, 6-9pm

Meet Matty

Matty Miller is an artist based in Denver, CO, creating paintings that invite reflection, spark wonder, and celebrate life’s quiet moments.

Growing up outside New York City and later in the vast landscapes of Taos, NM, she developed a deep appreciation for wide open skies and the power of stillness. Her studies at Naropa University explored the intersection of contemplative practice and art, shaping her approach to painting as both inquiry and refuge. Matty looks to adventures in the natural world— walking pilgrimages in Spain, paddling in Fiji, and riding wild horses in Turkey—to inspire her work.

Meadow Sentinel

Learn more about Matty in our Q+A!

How did you arrive where you are today?

I grew up in a very creative household. Much of my childhood was spent wandering around in a converted schoolhouse outside NYC where my mom and several other artists had workspaces. As a teenager, I became interested in mindfulness practices and ended up at Naropa University, influenced by the philosophies of Buddhism and the avant-garde spirit of the Beat generation. For the last 15 years, I've been a practicing artist and educator. 

Now, I am channeling my passion and experience into the role of entrepreneur running an art business, creating art that embodies beauty, authenticity, and connection. I love sharing my work with collectors because I believe being surrounded by art is a way of cultivating a commitment to the truths and values one wishes to live by. It's an act of self-care, and a visual reminder each day of the life you want to live and a mindset you want to keep.

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration in the quiet beauty of nature. Remote wilderness areas, in particular, offer a sense of awe and wonder that fuels my creativity. I love feeling small in the grand scheme of things.

High Road to Abiquiu

What are your thoughts about your city’s creative scene?

I think Denver is a great place to be an artist. It's not a huge city but there's a robust community of creatives and more venues to enjoy art than I've had the chance to visit living here for 20 years!

What is the best piece of advice that you have ever gotten?

Dream big!

What do you like to do when you are not working?

I love spending time outdoors, whether it's biking, camping, or gardening. In my free time you can find me dancing Lindy Hop at the Mercury Cafe.

Innocent-Mischief-is-Good-for-the-Soul

Who/What are your biggest influences?

Nature. My art is deeply influenced by the expansiveness of southwestern landscapes and the transformative power of solitude. My creative process often starts with a bout into the wild. Spending time in the natural world, feeling small amidst towering peaks and pristine lakes, or witnessing wildlife, replenishes my creative bucket. These experiences, combined with purposeful daydreaming, help me develop the visual metaphors that appear in my paintings.

What is your dream project?

My dream is to create a large, dedicated art studio space. It would be a place for experimentation, collaboration, and teaching others in art workshops and camps.

Get in touch with Matty

Website: http://www.mattymiller.com

Instagram: https://instragram.com/mattymillerstudio

If you are a local artist/crafter/maker/indie business owner and would like to be featured on our blog, please fill out this form or contact Ashley at ashley@westandmainhomes.com with questions...we can't wait to learn all about you!

7 Four-Leaf Clover Facts to Know for St. Patrick’s Day

Today, looking for four-leaf clovers is a St. Patrick’s Day tradition, but have you ever wondered why they’re considered lucky—or how they came to be associated with the holiday? How rare are four leaf clovers?

It turns out, the story behind the clover dates back hundreds of years before we began drinking green beer and pinching friends who didn’t wear green on the holiday.

What Is a Four-Leaf Clover and Why Are They Lucky?

The four-leaf clover (officially known as Oxalis deppei) is a small plant with four distinct leaves. It’s a rare variation of the common three-leaf clover, and because your chances of finding one with four leaves is about 1 in 10,000, they’re considered lucky.

Four-leaf clovers have been around for ages, and their supposed lucky powers are talked about in centuries-old legends. In the early days of Ireland, Celtic priests known as Druids carried three-leaf clovers, or shamrocks, in the belief that with their help, they could see evil spirits approaching and be able to escape. Four-leaf clovers, then, were Celtic charms, offering magical protection and warding off bad luck. Children in the Middle Ages believed they might be able to see fairies if they carried a four-leaf clover.

The Difference Between Four-Leaf Clovers and Shamrocks

Both shamrocks and four-leaf clovers are associated with St. Patrick’s Day, and they’re commonly confused as the same thing. A shamrock is a clover with three leaves, but the four-leaf clover is considered lucky due to its rarity. Shamrocks are still an important part of the holiday, and there’s a deep religious significance that explains why we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with shamrocks.

Fast Facts About Four-Leaf Clovers

• There are approximately 10,000 three-leaf clovers for every “lucky” four-leaf clover.

• There are no clover plants that naturally produce four leaves, which is why four-leaf clovers are so rare.

• The leaves of four-leaf clovers are said to stand for faith, hope, love, and luck.

• It’s often said that Ireland is home to more four-leaf clovers than any other place, giving meaning to the phrase “the luck of the Irish.”

• If you’re lucky enough to find a four-leaf clover, look for more! If a clover plant produces a four-leaf clover, it’s more likely to produce another one than plants that only produce shamrocks.

• The fourth leaf can be smaller, or a different shade of green, than the other three.

• If you’re the superstitious type, give your four-leaf clover to someone else. It’s said that this will double your good luck.

Best Ways to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

There are so many ways to honor St. Patrick's Day, like making festive crafts, playing fun games, making green drinks, or whipping up a hearty Irish stew. Get into the lucky holiday spirit with a green mint matcha milkshake or a super yummy shamrock cookie. Don't forget to put on a festive St. Patrick's Day playlist while you celebrate!

Read more at Better Homes & Gardens

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If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

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Greater Denver Area Real Estate Market Report from February 2025

February brings a fresh start, a sense of clarity and focus heading into the spring market - buyers and sellers both gained momentum in February as the weather warmed and the sun appeared between weekend snowstorms; multiple offers have even returned for some listings, according to the Denver Metro Association of Realtors Market Trend Committee.

Seller activity jumped in February, increasing new listings month-over-month by 11.17 percent and up 13.81 percent year-over-year. An increase in inventory is typical this time of year as sellers enter the market after pulling back during the winter months.

New listings entering the market have been low over the past couple of years; homeowners are locked into 30-year fixed-rate mortgages in the three percent range or lower and have difficulty justifying a purchase that increases costs. As time has gone on, the conversation has evolved from when rates will decline to navigating a market with high interest rates for the foreseeable future. As time passes, our lives evolve and the low interest rate carries less weight when considering staying in a home that no longer meets our needs.

This early seller activity added inventory that outpaced buyer demand for both attached and detached properties. We had 4,828 new listings enter the market in February, and 3,516 listings went pending. The attached and detached markets both saw a month-over-month increase in the number of pending homes in February, 19.92 percent and 23.27 percent, respectively.

Pending homes also increased year-over-year, 2.48 percent for attached and 23.27 percent for detached homes. The increased activity for attached homes is a good sign after the market segment lagged in 2024 due to higher costs, such as increased HOA dues and insurance.

Fewer properties sold in February than last year, a decrease of 17.29 percent combined attached and detached, and total sales volume was also down 14.04 percent. The number of total homes sold is down year-to-date by 7.05 percent, and sales volume is down 3.27 percent. Home values are holding steady despite the balance of inventory and buyer demand. The median sale price for detached homes was up 2.63 percent and attached up 2.54 percent year-to-date.

Homes are selling in a shorter amount of time in the first part of the year compared to the 4th quarter of 2024. Median days in the MLS were 27 days for detached homes, down 37.21 percent month-over-month compared to 24 days in February 2024.

The median days in the MLS for attached homes were down 12.50 percent month-over-month; however, they were up from 21 days in February 2024 to 42 days.

The market as a whole for detached homes still represents a seller's market with 2.86 months of inventory, and the attached market is in the range of a balanced market with 4.76 MOl.

Inventory and mortgage interest rates are the two variables we continue to watch closely. Rates have fluctuated since the first of the year, but a general downward trend has been noticed. Still, rates above 6.5 percent mean it is a significant part of the calculation for buyers. Sellers will continue to participate in the market, adding options for buyers. With higher inventory, the basics always work; homes that are priced well, updated and well-maintained will appeal the most to buyers and sell quickly.

Homes in less desirable condition or priced too high will take longer to sell and require price reductions to hit their target mar-ket. The balance of seller participation and buyer demand will hinge on the economic environment and consumer confidence.

Learn more about the market from the Denver Metro Association of Realtors.

Keep reading for an analysis of properties over $1m by West + Main Homes Agent, Michelle Schwinghammer.

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Thank you to our partners at the Denver Metro Association of Realtors for compiling this information.

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If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

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Featured at West + Main Littleton: Devin Birmingham

Join us for First Friday in Littleton, featuring Devin Birmingham

2590 W Main St
03.07.2025, 6-9pm

Meet Devin

“I am a fine artist rendering creations in various media, including graphite, charcoal, ink, and oil paint. I have dabbled in digital art, graphic design, drafting, offset printing, and commissioned work, but my passion lies in the creative processes of drawing and painting from imagination.

A Colorado native, I've been blessed to draw inspiration from the beauty of this wondrous state, while also being inspired by my fellow artists both local and abroad. I believe art is a tradecraft of discovery and the process of learning and honing one's skills, an exercise of pursuit, never perfection. I feel that an artist should never be able to reach a goal for their talent, but strive for something always unseen, which keeps us finding new techniques, ways to express and hopefully...ever more beautiful artwork to share with the world.”

Learn more about Devin Birmingham in our Q & A!

How did your business come to exist?

My business came into existence when I realized that I wasn't prioritizing my own happiness in the workplace. I made the commitment to use a natural talent for art to open my own studio and start doing what I truly love for a living.

What is your biggest influence?

My biggest influences for my art are also my biggest inspirations - my colleagues around the world creating art of their own and bringing it into the lives of everyone through the use of social media, local galleries, festivals, and the like. I love seeing the vast and differing techniques of my fellow artists and their creations. I draw from those works to inspire my own pieces. I also tap into my imagination of places that have never existed as subjects for my work.

What is the best piece of advice that you ever received?

That could be any number of things. I only wish I'd listened to more of what was offered to me in the past. I suppose some of the best advice I've ever received or taken was centered around meaningful quotes. "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" comes to mind, as does "A master has failed more times than a beginner has even tried." Both quotes have driven me to approach life with the mindset of pursuit - to take every task, no matter how monumental or daunting, by the very first step, doing just one small thing at a time, until consistency and persistence have eventually paid off, yielding measurable results. 

What is your dream project?

My dream project would be a large format dark fantasy piece -something I intend, to try the limits of my talent against, in days to come.

What is your favorite part of your job??

My favorite part of my job has to be a mixture of getting into the creative 'zone' - letting the creative side of my mind completely take over, and feeling the gratification at the end of creating a new piece. When I get into the flow of a piece of art, my mind wanders like a nomad. I start thinking about things that have nothing to do whatsoever, with the art I'm creating, and the creative side of my mind takes control. From the shadows, it does its' own thing, while I'm busy thinking about whatever I am at that moment. It's nice being able to put my subconscious in the driver's seat and let it lead the way to wherever.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Outside of work, I enjoy music, reading, and the outdoors. I play guitar, dabble in hammer dulcimer, harmonica, and shakuhachi. I grew a fondness for reading fantasy novels when I was still in high school and have loved to indulge ever since, though not as frequently as I'd like. I truly love hiking in the beauty of the mountains of Colorado, going on a drive with the family to see the views, or watching the turning of the leaves in the autumn. Someday, I'd like to go back to the ocean with my wife for another cruise. I long to travel to distant places and see more of the world.

• Get in touch with Devin Birmingham

Website: https://www.devinefineart.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devinefineart/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558520823611

If you are a local artist/crafter/maker/indie business owner and would like to be featured on our blog, please fill out this form or contact Ashley at ashley@westandmainhomes.com with questions...we can't wait to learn all about you!

W+M Book Launch

New York Times best selling author Jessica Buchanan has launched her most recent anthology "Deserts to Mountaintops, the pilgrimage of motherhood" in January and she will visiting us in Denver to talk about the book and her journey to motherhood. Please join us for an inspiring event celebrating what motherhood means to different women. Connect with others and hear what led them to being, or not being, a mother. Don't miss out on this opportunity to be a part of this incredible event! Books will be for sale at the event and available to be signed by the author!

Deserts to Mountaintops-Motherhood - REGISTER HERE

Women's Memoir Writing Workshop - REGISTER HERE