Meet the Artist - Alicia Kelly
Meet Alicia Kelly!
Born and raised in Northeastern Oklahoma, Alicia came to Lawrence Kansas to study printmaking at the University of Kansas, and to further develop her artistic interest in paper media at the Lawrence Arts Center. Alicia is a prominent member of both the Lawrence and Kansas City art scenes, and her complex and mesmerizing paper works have been shown in countless exhibits in both cities.
“I started art school as a realistic painter in Oklahoma, took a year off, moved to Lawrence, and fell into printmaking while taking an intaglio class at the Lawrence Arts Center. During my studies at KU in printmaking, I found my love of paper and its possibilities of escape from the 2D world.”
Alicia also has plenty of experience as a curator and has organized her fair share of exhibits across Lawrence.
“I organized pop up exhibitions in downtown Lawrence and curated Final Fridays events for Henry’s Coffee. This year, I was hired as a project manager for a new public arts program through The City of Lawrence - Art + Culture + Crossings, in which selected projects were exhibited throughout the month of June. Currently, I facilitate a group of high schoolers, Hang12, through the Lawrence Arts Center, that curate, exhibit, and organize art events throughout the city.”
Most recently Alicia was involved with the Cider Gallery and co-curated (with Cider Gallery curator Jeromy Morris) the current “Shared See Level” exhibit at the gallery, which features works by Kansas City and Lawrence artists. The exhibit was put together with the goal of creating a space where both artistic communities can exist in collaborative discussion with one another through their works, and highlights the importance of community and communication in a post-Covid lockdown environment.
“Each artist in ‘Shared See Level’ is active in their practice and creative community in some way. Selfishly, I admire and have been inspired by each of these artists over the years and wanted to create an opportunity for both the Lawrence and KC art scenes to intertwine. I love bridging gaps where I see the need for artists to meet, connect, and for the potential collaboration and hope that new friendships are formed during this exhibition.”
View ‘Shared See Level’ Tuesday - Friday 1-5pm, or by appointment, at the Cider Gallery at 810 Pennsylvania Street in the Warehouse Arts District in Lawrence. This show is on display through October 21, 2022.
- Miles Steel