091809
“…Winter's Summer Home; it's a kaleidoscopic image that, via its vivid mirror-mad beauty, almost single-handedly validates computer-aided photo manipulation….” –Austin Chronicle, Oct. 9, 2009
Artist Statement
As an artist, I seek wonder. I strive to create art that offers a wow moment, and then with a twist and a turn….maybe another.
I’ve looked beyond traditional mediums and utilized the materials of the space and time in which I exist. My camera is my window. The screen is my canvas. The pixels are my paint.
I create the art using my own photography and expertise in digital editing. The essence of the works are comprised from the color, shape, texture and patterns of the images I capture. There are often 6-8 different photos used to create a single final piece.
The works are output as limited edition prints on canvas and archival paper. Each piece is named from a phrase in a song by a favorite artist. Then they are grouped into collections, which are named for the song that the phrases originate from. Each also carries with it a six digit date code that commemorates the day of creation.
The work is most impactful at a large scale when the abstractions can be enjoyed from a distance and then draw the viewer inward. Upon closer inspection, you are able to experience another layer of the imagery and see the individual photos that combine to create the mosaic.
Recently, I’ve been exploring the concept of using a series of details to create a larger image. While the reflections and resulting patterns are abstract, I’ve been adding another layer of imagery that creates an overall larger image. The idea of taking images and manipulating them into an abstract pattern and then rebuilding them into a representation of something else completely intrigues me. Explore the “Eyes of the World” and “Little Creatures” collections to experience this, see what you find.
Leslie Kell is an artist and designer whose career has spanned more than 20 years in the Austin area. Her clientele run the gamut from individual collectors to nationally known corporations. Leslie holds an art degree from East Texas State University and resides with her family in South Austin.
