ABOUT
Mad Hare Press
Mad Hare Press is an Indigenous-descended and Latina-owned printmaking studio based in Fort Collins, Colorado, dedicated to preserving and reimagining traditional craft.
Founded by artist and educator Liz Ortiz, the studio centers cultural storytelling, accessibility, and creative empowerment.
Specializing in hand-carved relief prints, intricate hojalata (Mexican tin art), and multimedia techniques, Mad Hare Press offers original fine art, community workshops, and collaborative pop-up experiences. Each print and program is crafted with care, honoring ancestral practices while making the art of printmaking welcoming and inclusive to all.
Rooted in heritage and shaped by lived experience, Mad Hare Press celebrates both individual creativity and the collective power of art to build community.
WHY?
Mad Hare Press
The name Mad Hare Press first came to me in 2006, scribbled in a notebook during college, long before it became the small but growing business it is today. As a lifelong admirer of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, I’ve always felt a strong kinship with the March Hare. Unlike the Mad Hatter, whose madness feels like a product of his environment, the March Hare’s wildness seemed natural. Intrinsic. Defiant in a joyful, chaotic way.
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That energy resonated with me. I’ve often said that to be an artist, you have to be a little “mad.” Not in the clinical sense, but in the sense of daring to see the world differently. To create is to be vulnerable, disobedient, and brave. It is the act of making something from nothing, of carving meaning where others may not see it, and of believing in impossible things. That quiet rebellion of making art, of trusting your hands, your intuition, your vision, is what the March Hare represents for me.
Mad Hare Press is an ode to that creative madness. It’s a space where imperfection is power, where tradition and experimentation coexist, and where the wildness of imagination is not just accepted, but celebrated. It honors both my earliest artistic dreams and the enduring spirit it takes to create in a world that often tells us not to.
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What started as a name became a philosophy and eventually a growing business built with big intention. Today, Mad Hare Press is a home for storytelling, printmaking, and collective growth. A place where creativity thrives not despite chaos, but because of it.
ABOUT
Liz Ortiz
Liz Ortiz is a multidisciplinary artist, instructor, and small business owner of Indigenous and Mexican descent. Born and raised in Colorado Springs, she first moved to Fort Collins in 2004 to attend Colorado State University. After completing studies in Photo Image Making, she later returned to CSU to pursue a second concentration in Printmaking, earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2014. In 2023, she completed her MBA with a specialization in Marketing Data Analytics, also from CSU.
Liz’s artistic practice blends traditional printmaking techniques, such as linoleum block carving, Tetra Pak intaglio, and hojalata, with bold, nature-inspired imagery and experimental processes. Her work is grounded in heritage, identity, and cultural storytelling, exploring themes of memory, resilience, and creative reclamation.
Through her studio Mad Hare Press, Liz fosters inclusive spaces for hands-on learning, offering workshops, original hand-pulled prints, and collaborative community events that make the art of printmaking accessible, empowering, and culturally rooted.
MY JOURNEY & OUR STORY
My journey with art began long before Mad Hare Press was founded. Since I was old enough to hold a crayon, I’ve turned to creativity as a way to make sense of the world. As the daughter of a Mexican immigrant and a descendant of Indigenous peoples whose tribal affiliation was lost to assimilation, art wasn’t just encouraged, it was a form of survival. It became a way to reclaim story, preserve memory, and connect across generations.
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After years of formal study, career pivots, and personal healing, I created Mad Hare Press as both a printmaking studio and a platform for community connection. It reflects my belief that art should be accessible, culturally rooted, and empowering, especially for those whose stories have been historically silenced or excluded.
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Today, I instruct hands-on printmaking workshops throughout Fort Collins and Northern Colorado at spaces like Petrichor Collective Studios, Wolverine Farm, and through city-run cultural programs. I also participate in artisan markets, pop-up events, and cultural festivals; offering original relief prints, multimedia works, and interactive art experiences that invite others into the creative process.
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Through every print pulled and every workshop offered, Mad Hare Press continues to grow as a welcoming space where art, identity, and community intersect. I’m honored to share this journey with you.
WHERE THE WORK HAPPENS
Mad Hare Press is currently run from my home studio in Fort Collins, where every print is hand-carved, inked, and pulled in a small but deeply meaningful space. While it is not yet a public-facing or shared studio, I am working toward the dream of opening a dedicated creative space, one where I can host larger workshops, offer open studio time, and invite others into the full process of printmaking.
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Until then, I continue to fulfill this mission through partnerships with local venues and community programs. I am grateful to collaborate with spaces like Wolverine Farm, Petrichor Collective Studios, The Lyric, and the City of Fort Collins Cultural Services, where I offer hands-on workshops that make art approachable, inclusive, and rooted in connection.
Check out all upcoming workshops and offerings
OUR MISSION
At Mad Hare Press, we believe in the transformative power of art to connect, heal, and empower. Our mission is to celebrate cultural identity and traditional craft while offering accessible, hands-on printmaking experiences for people of all ages and skill levels.
Through thoughtful design, inclusive instruction, and strong community partnerships, we create meaningful opportunities to explore artmaking as both a personal and collective journey. Whether in a workshop, at a market, or through an original print, our goal is to make the joy of printmaking approachable, culturally rooted, and shared.