California artist Kellesimone Waits to exhibit paintings and drawings at Keystone

Posted: 03/07/2013

La Plume - The Linder Gallery at Keystone College will present an exhibition of paintings and drawings by California-based artist Kellesimone Waits from March 24 through April 28 on the campus in La Plume.

The exhibition Kellesimone Waits: Antithesis features recent and earlier works that explore the artist’s unique and adventurous life through expressive, figurative imagery. A reception for the artist will be held on Sunday, March 24, from 4-6 p.m. in the Gallery, and the public is invited. Also, Kellesimone Waits will speak about her artwork on Monday, March 25, at 9:45 a.m. in Brooks Theatre at Keystone College. The presentation is open to the public.

Kellesimone Waits’ life has been an anthology of experiences that forms the narrative of her work. She is a hoarder of conscious and subconscious images from a life in motion that began in Los Angeles in the 1980s. After extensive touring, jungle life in the Amazon, and a long-term stint at Manhattan’s iconic Chelsea Hotel, Kellesimone has settled (for now) in Northern California, where she attended California College of the Arts and Mills College. Strong forces at play in her work are an investigation of society’s influence on her subjects and herself alike, as well as an exploration of the psychological drives behind the artist and her subjects. As a result, the works are a blend of myths, dreams, and fairy tales, all within a survey of reality. 

Kellesimone’s artwork has been exhibited in group and one-person exhibitions internationally. Her solo exhibits include shows at Fuse Gallery in Manhattan, Perihelion Arts in Phoenix, and Frank Pictures Gallery and Known Gallery in Los Angeles. In 2010 she was a featured artist in the Draw Tour exhibit held at the Museo de la Ciudad de Mexico, in Mexico City. Her work has also been exhibited during Art Basel in Miami at Aqua10.

“I’m so happy to be able to present this exhibition of Kellesimone’s artwork at Keystone College,” said Drake Gómez, director of exhibitions. “She’s an emerging talent on both coasts and has such a distinctive background, yet I think she’s someone to whom our students will really be able to relate. I think her work will speak to them on a very direct level.”

For further information and Linder Gallery hours, please call (570) 945-8335.