About

 

ARTIST BIO

Kiki Schamber is a contemporary abstract artist whose evocative use of color and texture is greatly influenced by a multifaceted career as a painter, a fashion designer, and an illustrator in New York City.

Kiki works with acrylic and oil paints, graphite and mixed media, including elements of collage, digital art and found objects. Currently, her painting practice is concerned with exploring how our experiences and our stories ground us and give a sense of purpose.  A passion for storytelling and seeking continuity between the past and present is evidenced in her work as layers of luscious color and glazes overlap to build a rich history with each piece. Her fluid paint strokes often contrast with precise lines reflecting her perception of forms and textures found in both nature and the city she loves.

Kiki is currently working full time as an artist splitting her studio time between New York City and The Rocky Mountains.

 

ARTIST STATEMENT

My work is greatly inspired by the textures of the city: paint chipping off a hydrant, scaffolding thick with wrinkled posters, and the dynamic expression of street art.  When I’m in the mountains, I’m taking in the similarities: rusty colored lichens splattered across a giant boulder and bark peeling off an aspen tree. My work is a reflection of my adventures, inspirations, and the city and situations that I love.

I wish to evoke memories in the viewer of places they have explored and to encourage their own personal connections to the paintings. The physical process of my work, like any journey, is absolutely paramount to the end result.  A piece will go through multiple stages and many variations before I know it is complete.  When I look at a finished painting, I am considering the previous stories it told, appreciating the transformation, and discovering the pieces of history that peek out from underneath.