Though dipping into the otherworldly, Kelly Denato‘s acrylic paintings represent the prism of human emotions. At once optimistic and sullen, the figures in her work appear to be constantly in a state of transition. The New York City artist’s gallery work is a complement to her illustrative jobs with the likes of Nickelodeon, Timex, and other major clients.
AFA Gallery offers some insight into her process: “Denato’s painting technique is characterized by meticulous and tiny strokes layered on a textured background,” it says. “Her colors are glistening and candy-like, often lifting her characters out of darkness as if they have been carved by lacerating colors. Her genius is her ability richly layer paint while still employing economy in the use of her line, maintaining an empathetic sense of gesture. Her characters are often floating and tangled, drawn with a masterfully delicate illustrator’s hand and an eye for the whimsically sardonic.”
See more of her work below.
Ryan Bock's new immersive show at Ki Smith Gallery takes influence from the 1921 German horror film "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari," transforming bed frames and other "functional items made non-functional" in a dream-like environment. We’re given an exclusive first look at "Somnambulist," which opens on Oct. 26, in this post. Installation shots for the exhibition were taken by photographer Roman Dean.
