About
Bio
Renee Kaelber was born on June 14th, 1986 in Rochester, N.Y. In 2004 she moved to Richmond, V.A. to study art at Virginia Commonwealth University. Over the summer of 2006 she studied abroad at Glasgow School of Art with VCU. By taking that first trip out of the country, she learned that travel was important for inspiration and motivation in her art making process. In 2009 she graduated with a BFA in Art Education and Painting & Printmaking. She now lives and works in Richmond and shows her work at local galleries and markets.
Artist Statement
I explore the decision-making process with drawing, printmaking, and acrylic paintings. My curiosity in how decisions can shape who we are, propels this series. It forces me to reflect on my own choices in life and how those choices influence my perspective.
I begin a piece by having a composition in mind that reflects events I am processing. Sometimes I map out a few sketches beforehand and other times I jump right into action painting and let emotions guide me. As I build layers with different painting techniques, it gives the work depth and a feeling of time passing by exposing parts of the underpainting. As the work comes close to being finished, I take at least a few weeks to observe and edit. I sometimes import a photo of the work into drawing programs on my computer to generate ideas to complete the piece. Finally, I revise and add final details to the piece. The title of the work comes to me after spending many hours reflecting on the work and its relation to my recent experiences.
As I transition into different mediums, I experiment with new ways to communicate the decision-making process. I am inspired by my personal relationships and life experiences. When approaching my work, I would like the viewer to reflect on their own life choices, the process of the decision making and the many different results.