I paint from the heart. I make paintings about scenes that take my breath away: Pacific Northwest forests and waterways to backyard sunsets and sunrises. I paint abstracted landscapes with acrylic using all colors of the visible spectrum. I explore what the sensation would feel like to be in landscape while enveloped in the refracted light of an opal or the luminescence of inclusions in peridot as though it were an exploration of belonging. And belonging with landscape is the bedrock of my paintings
The sculptures in my latest body of work, Meeting Place, are diptychs-- one part rests on the floor while the other is suspended from the ceiling. This above/below orientation reflects my interest and curiosity around connection. I create this work from a place of deep human yearning to connect in life. While I can never fully understand the other, whether that is another person or the mysteries of the universe, I can describe the way it feels to meet it.
Since 2022, I have been wrapping my canvas paintings around conical forms and arranging them in hourglass-shaped configurations. My most recent sculptures are more organic in shape and continue a conversation about a vital place where two parts meet. I remain curious about the dynamic energy that is created by the gathering of these parts and what is created when they are in close proximity. I imagine a relationship where the upper part represents infinity and the lower part receives and reflects the infinite in continuous conversation.
Gallery Representation
AMcE Creative Arts
Seattle Art Museum Gallery
Collections
2019 Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
2016 State of New Mexico
2013 Cardno Entrix Environmental, Seattle, WA 2012 Spoken Communications, Seattle, WA 2011 Confluence Environmental, Seattle, WA 2002 University of Oregon Collection (Housing) 2001 University of Oregon Print Archive
Education
B.A. 2002* Studio Art University of Oregon B.F.A. 2003* Painting University of Oregon *Summa cum laude
Areas of Specialization: Drawing, painting
Exhibitions Records
2025 upcoming San Juan Island Museum of Art, Meeting Place, Atrium installation, San Juan, WA
2024 AMcE, The Take Away, Group Show, Seattle, WA
2024 AMcE, Au Natural, Group Show, Seattle, WA
2024 Party in the Park, Olympic Sculpture Park, SAM, Seattle, WA
2024 Chatwin Arts, Rite of Spring, Group Show Seattle, WA
2023 50th SAM Gallery Anniversary, Group show, Seattle, WA
2023 Site:Brooklyn, online groups how
2023 WA State Public Art Roster
2023 Hideout, Group show, curated by Jeremy Buben, Seattle, WA
2023 Daydream, group show SAM Gallery
2022 SAM Night Live, Destination: Universe and Golden Hour on display at Olympic Sculpture Park, Seattle Art Museum
2022 realArt, co op membership Los Angeles, CA
2022 Evergreen, group show SAM Gallery
2021 Secret Garden, solo show SAM Gallery
2021 Carillon Point, Solo Show, Kirkland, WA
2020 Not Too Big, Not Too Small, Zinc Contemporary, group show, Seattle, WA
2020 Niki Keenan at TASTE Cafe, solo show SAM Gallery, cancelled due to Covid-19
2019 Motherland, CoCA, Group Show, Seattle, WA (juror: Amanda Manitach)
2019 Introductions, SAM Gallery, Group Show, Seattle, WA
2018 Creativity Persists, CoCA, Group Show, Seattle, WA (juror: Jody Bento)
2018 That Glow, College Club, Solo Show, Seattle, WA
2018 Northwest Vision, Lynnwood Convention Center, Group Show, Lynnwood, WA
2018 Carillon Point, Solo Show, Kirkland, WA
2017 Portals Lake Washington Rowing Club, Solo Show, Seattle, WA
2017 Kirkland Summerfest, Group Show, Kirkland, WA
2017 Exuberance: Beauty, BallardWorks, Group Show, Seattle, WA
2017 Anchors Aweigh, College Club, Solo Show, Seattle, WA
2017 Kirkland Arts Center, Artists’ Exhibition, Group Show, Kirkland, WA
2016 8 Bells Winery, Solo Show, Seattle, WA
2016 Sundance Cinema Gallery, Solo Show, Seattle, WA
2016 Why We Row, College Club, Solo Show, Seattle, WA
2015 Inky Spokes, Tacoma Art Museum, Group Show, Tacoma, WA
2015 Gallery 901 and Encaustic Art Institute, Group Show, Santa Fe, NM
2014 Carillon Point, Solo Show, Kirkland, WA
2013 8 Bells Winery, Solo Show, Seattle, WA
2013 Miniature Art Extravaganza, All City Art, Group Show, Seattle, WA
2013 Fremont Brewing Co, Solo Show, Seattle, WA
2013 Kirkland Arts Center, ArtStage Gallery, Solo Show, Kirkland, WA
2013 Archetypes: Pattern, Place and Space, Corridor Gallery, Group Show, Seattle, WA
2013 Bemis Spring Art Show, Seattle, WA
2013 Be A Saint, Sylvia White Gallery, Group Show, Los Angeles, CA
2012 Celebration, Washington State Convention Center, Artist Trust,Group Show, WA
2012 Alki Arts Gallery, Group Show, Seattle, WA
2012 The Whole Picture, Caffe Ladro, Solo Show, Kirkland and Queen Anne, WA
2011 Backyard Playground– ArtPrize, Group Show, Grand Rapids, MI
2011 The Whole Picture- 619 Western, Solo Show, Seattle, WA
2010 Tahoma- Strut, Greenwood Artwalk, Solo Show, Seattle, WA
2010 Mr. Mulligan- Urban Light Studios, Solo Show, Seattle, WA
2003 B.F.A Terminal Show– U of O Eric Washburn Gallery, Group Show, Eugene, OR
2003 Lifting Up- U of O Laverne Krause Gallery, Solo Show, Eugene, OR
2002 the sun was there- U of O, Laverne Krause Gallery, Solo Show, Eugene, OR
2002 1st annual Big House Event- Wilkinson House, Group Show, Eugene, OR
2002 Drawings in Books– Laverne Krause Gallery, Group Show, Eugene,OR
Professional Experience
2020-2021 Guest teacher, online classes, Villa Academy & Teaching Scholars UW
2016-2019 Guest teacher, Eight Bells Winery
2015 Photo collage workshop, guest teacher, Santa Fe, NM 2013 Search for Meaning, Guest Artist, Seattle University, WA
2013 Shankill Castle Artist Residency with Elizabeth Cope, Ireland September
2013 Grunewald Guild Artist Residency, Leavenworth, WA, February
2011 Artist Trust EDGE Professional Development Program, Seattle, WA
2000 Guard, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Downtown Annex
1998-2000 summers Art camp assistant for artist John Hartley, Modern Art Museum of Ft. Worth
Selected Awards
2003 AAADeans List and Education Scholarship, Eugene, OR
2003 Philip Haley Johnson Education Scholarship, Eugene OR
2000 Maude Kerns Education Scholarship, Eugene, OR
Publications
SAM Blog & Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Blog, 2019
Vanguard Seattle, April 23, 2013, review by Claire Reiner