KELLY VIVANCO

"Rather than try to make a statement with my art I paint scenes and characters that draw me in and resonate with something deeper inside. Most of my paintings are inspired from something intangible like the complex feelings knocking around inside of me; or simple like the pose of a child in a vintage photograph or the quizzical tilt of a bird’s head. I enjoy portraiture without parameters and a sliding scale of exaggerated features for the subjects of my paintings.

It is not an intention of mine to create a tableau of symbolism or encode some secret meaning in my paintings. They take shape spontaneously and develop organically. I like to paint and see where it goes. I often don’t have answers to questions posed by my finished works. People ask me what a painting is about, I just ask them what they think it’s about. Their answer is as valid as mine, in my opinion. To me, painting is like magic; it’s like in a child’s world where animals can talk and doorways have personality and anything can happen. Through painting I hope to engage the innate sense of wonder I believe is in everyone."

Kelly Vivanco was born in Redondo Beach and grew up in front of a sketchpad with a box of colors in suburban Southern California. She received her BFA with honors from Laguna College of Art and Design in 1995. She has shown solo and in group shows at the California Center for the Arts Museum in Escondido, Distinction Gallery, Thinkspace, SURU, Subtext, DvA Gallery and Orange County Center for Contemporary Arts. Her work is held in collections across the U.S. and abroad.

*Kelly is an on-going participant in the Teeny Tiny Art Shows.