For many, the idea of chaos, clutter, and mess sounds like a nightmare. For one Greeley family, however, it sounds like an opportunity to explore avenues for creativity and artistic expression.
“We definitely had to learn to juggle some things as we became a family,” muralist Betony Coons admitted. “However, it also became a beautiful opportunity for us to pull our kids into our story and invite them into the process a bit messier at times, for sure, but also poetic and more of who we are.”
Tim and Betony Coons aren’t “Greeley natives” per se, but have established a large portion of their lives and careers here in Northern Colorado. The two creatives met through mutual friends, and married in 2004. After that, the singer/songwriter and muralist explored how to continue in their endeavors while starting a life together.
“We were both having separate art careers, and were enjoying some success,” shared Tim - a singer/songwriter and current communication director for the Weld Community Foundation. “After about six years of being married and doing art together, we started asking what it would look like for the two of us to collaborate on some projects together.”
Out of this idea, the group Giants and Pilgrims was born - a series of collaborative art and music projects where Betony would create a series of paintings that Tim accompanied with companion songs. The first of their released projects, entitled “Almanac #1,” was released in 2012, and takes a look at a busy season of life with friends and family. The project includes 12 paintings with a corresponding album, and a book sent out to their monthly subscribers. Since then, they’ve created three additional projects, with the most recent release being “Midwestern Trees” in October 2022.
Both Tim and Betony realize that some could see settling down and starting a family as a halt to their creative opportunities. The pair seeks to reshape that mindset both in their own home and as an inspiration to other families looking to pursue their dreams in the midst of their “mess.”
“Don’t be afraid of mess. A lot of people think ‘Well, I could never do that …’” Tim declares thoughtfully. “But as we’ve wrestled with that question, we’ve always met it with different ones - ‘What if?’ or ‘How about if we…?’ or ‘Maybe if…’ Curiosity is key, and delightful things have come out of it that have enlivened and enriched our family.”
The Coons are thankful for the opportunities they’ve had on the horizon, and have been enjoying watching their children pursue their own artistic and creative endeavors, separate from the success of their parents. All, the pair are thankful for the life they have built as creatives and as a family with all of the mess and wonder.
“Neither one of us would be where we are currently without the other one,” Betony expresses. “One of the greatest gifts that I’ve been given is a creative spouse where we can understand each other, bounce ideas off of each other, and be brutally honest in the pursuit of helping each other grow.”
Betony’s latest project is entitled “Bloom,” which is a large collaboration project with multiple artists (including Greeley’s own Katie Mai-Fusco) for a Denver Children’s Museum Exhibit, on display beginning Summer 2023.
Readers of Greeley Lifestyle are invited to engage with and support the variety of artistic endeavors by the Coons on these formats:
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Pilgrims and Giants media is available on Spotify or via their website giantsandpilgrims.com.
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Betony’s artwork and online store are available at betonycoons.com.
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Tim’s music is available on Spotify and Apple Music under “Tim Coons”.
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Betony’s murals located in Greeley are listed on betonycoons.com/about.