Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Waller.
Hi Kelly, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My art-making journey began later in life than some, but I have always loved and been surrounded by art. Whether it be going to the movies every week, or watching my grandmother piece together gorgeous quilts, there has always been art around. I started out like a lot of other young people going to college, not knowing exactly what I wanted to do. I even pursued a degree in marketing, but taking a foundations art class pushed me into the direction of art and going back home to junior college. The passion for art and welcoming environment produced by the folks at the Tyler Junior College art department solidified my desire to pursue a career in making.
Once I obtained my AA from Tyler Junior College, I received my BFA from the University of Texas at Tyler, and then my MFA from Texas Woman’s University. During graduate school, I found a hidden love for teaching and am currently an adjunct professor at TWU and UNT and am inspired every day by the amazing artists that grace my classrooms.
I also continue to make art whenever I can!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Though I have been blessed with a family that is accepting of my artistic passions, the journey hasn’t always been easy. Being an artist and pursuing it as a career, comes with a lot of self doubt and rejection. Being out of school also comes with it’s struggles, such as not having a consistent studio schedule or space, and you are fueled by yourself rather than your professors/peers. But one with passion must always find a way, and so I did. Realizing that you can create whatever you want, about whatever you want, with whatever you want, might be daunting to some, but I find the endless possibilities exciting.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My artwork focuses on various themes and concepts, but I am really interested in materials and images, as well as their combinations. I work with various mediums, such as fibers, embroidery, printmaking, paper, and love collage as a process. I enjoy going out to antique/vintage shops and sifting through the imagery found in magazines and old family albums, letting the media inspire me. I currently am interested in my archive of found photographs and giving them new life through abstraction processes and using printmaking as a medium.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Nothing personal, but I really think surrounding yourselves with art is important, so here is a recommendation: I recently visited the Nasher Sculpture Center and witnessed the show “Rauschenberg Sculpture” that featured some sculptural works by Robert Rauschenberg (my favorite visual artist, of course I loved it).
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kellymwaller.com
- Instagram: @certifiedgrossart
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-waller-2a13aa1b0
