Jessica Keteyian
I'm interested in the power of art to create shared experiences and realities that transcend societal and cultural boundaries. I like the idea that we can find connection through the commonality of our humanness. My work creates a space where people can let their minds play, to make connections within themselves and with each other. I'd like to help people see a way free of boxes and patterns. Ironically, I love boxes and patterns in the abstract, but metaphorically I recognize them as structures to transcend.
I paint because I am interested in how shapes feel, how they are affected by color, how variations in color can create dimension, and how shapes and colors relate to create the illusion of space and movement. Through the process of painting I have developed a language of elements that I use to organize the facets of my experience-- feelings, places, memories, time periods, cultural movements, and ideas. Creating paintings allows me to communicate without words, and this communication resonates at an emotional level that is free of impediments.
I grew up in a family of artists where becoming a painter was a natural trajectory, though it has taken me awhile to get here. When I was a kid I lived in Maine, North Carolina, the Dominican Republic, Santa Fe, Paraguay, and Cambridge Massachusetts. I studied dance and visual art at the Cambridge School of Weston, dance at the Boston Conservatory, performance art at Mass College of Art and got a degree in psychology from Harvard University. I've worked in survey research, graphic design, and retail design; and I've been a buyer, owned a store, and designed and manufactured home goods. I'm now happily painting and raising my family in Seattle.