about
bio
kaylie wilder is an oil painter with roots on Schitsu’umsh land in the pacific northwest. classically trained in realism, they now paint vibrant abstractions attuned to the horizon.
kaylie has recently returned from sabbatical and is developing a new body of large-scale works for exhibition and representation.
statement
i lay down the immediate buzzing of light with a quick layer of transparent oxide red and solvent.
well, first i set up my tripod easel on uneven ground and paint frantically before the tides lap up my materials. sometimes dogs excitedly kick up sand and birds protest. i am here as a temporary witness in their space.
viewers often see my work as pretty scenes of sparkly waves. i do hope to convey the whimsy of this world, as well as its intangible energies and the possibilities of what has yet to come. the picturesque is an entry point and the sun sparkles are a foil. they mirror the ways we are conditioned to consume the surface of the landscape and each other. i practice to disrupt this lens and reveal underlying tensions and probabilities that we otherwise ignore.
a classical realism apprenticeship propelled me towards emotive observance. i have since shifted from this western tradition in favor of abstraction to address and subvert sanitized narratives.
i paint glittering waves out of necessity. translating the light recalibrates my senses and articulates the space where my words are sparse. it feels like clawing up from existential apathy to unfurl emergent realities.
my work looks to a world where desaturated modern structures give way to reciprocal networks of rematriation. they serve as an invocation to realign with the land’s interlacing sovereign webs of being.
CV
EXhibitions & Juried ShowingsSchaefer Portrait Challenge | Maui Arts and Cultural Center Triennial | Mae Mae
Abstract Only | Juried Exhibition, Wailoa Art Center | Mellifluous Light
Contemporary Perspectives | Paradise Studio Tour Collective, Wailoa Art Center
Home/Less | Hawaii Contemporary Artist Juried Show, EHCC HMOCA
Pop! Show | Two-Person Exhibition with Rose Adare, The Exhibit Gallery
Hawaii Nei | Juried Art Exhibition, Wailoa Art Center
Queer Art Walk | Spokane Arts, Washington
Interdisciplinary Practice: Fiber Arts & TextilesMini-Quilts | A textile practice rooted in the legacy of my grandfather, an avid quilter. These hand-quilted works prioritize free thread work to explore the beauty of imperfection and fluid transitions.
Process DevelopmentClassical Realism & Oil Methodology | Kipaipai School of the Arts | Intensive study of traditional Western oil techniques and life drawing.
Abstract Transitions | Developed an intuitive process using acrylics and glitter to actively loosen the constraints of classical training and explore non-representational, high-vibrancy palettes.
CommunityTechnical Facilitation | Gizmo-CDA | Provided operational support and technical guidance within a community makerspace environment.
Event Support & Printmaking | Emerge Cd’A | Facilitated INK! Rally kids’ booth printmaking workshops and monitored sales for Ceramic Throwdown fundraisers.
Creative Instruction | Developed and led life drawing courses for adults and teens at Kipaipai School of the Arts and Makerspace curricula for elementary students.
Mural Design | Ahava ‘Aina Synagogue | Lead designer for full-room community mural installations focusing on shared sacred spaces.
inquiries
I am currently developing a new body of abstract landscape oil paintings. I welcome inquiries from galleries, curators, and collectors regarding exhibition opportunities or the acquisition of original works.
A formal Artist CV and comprehensive portfolio of available works are available upon request. Please contact me at kayliewilder11@gmail.com to discuss potential professional collaborations.