Statement
I begin my work as an explorer and a collector. I make archives of found objects, photos, and drawings that provide a point of departure for paintings produced through experimentation, process, and chance. The archives are a record of explorations from both wilderness areas of the American West where I am from, and the industrial areas of New York where I currently reside. I’m interested in themes of transition, evolution and flux described through processes of growth and decay. I am most interested where I find parallels or commonalities of these themes in both natural and man made environments. My process involves multiple transfer layers over a textural surface. The layering of material is a way to think about both the literal, physical layering of matter in landscape, and the layering of information that mediates our perceptions of both urban and natural environments. There is a significant amount of chance involved with the transfer process. As a result a system of rules specifically for the layering stages naturally developed. These rules are fluid and evolve as new materials, or different approaches to working are introduced into the process.
Bio
Kimo Nelson is a painter whose extensive travel, and backcountry wilderness experiences provide the foundation for his artistic practice. He was born in Honolulu, HI and grew up moving between the US, SE Asia, and the Middle East. Kimo studied painting and drawing at Lewis & Clark College and the Oregon College of Art and Craft in Portland, OR. He went on to study at the Rhode Island School of Design where he received an MFA in painting with honors in 2012. He is the recipient of two graduate fellowships from RISD and was included on the commended scholars list at OCAC. He has been an organizer and participant for the Signal Fire artist residency program based in Portland, OR. Kimo has exhibited nationally at galleries and non-profit spaces including Danese/Corey Gallery and Gallery 532 Thomas Jaeckel in New York, NY, Projekt 722 in Brooklyn, NY, Disjecta in Portland, OR, and Chase Young in Boston, MA. Kimo currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.