KIKI GAFFNEY

Nature, with all of its intricate structures and hidden systems has been providing source material for my work for quite some time. I am interested in the slow cycle of growth and decay, as well as the spontaneity of movement when elements of time are considered, such as wind or light and shadow. Natural patterns and structures, or ‘architecture,’ don’t follow a particular order, yet these patterns can be translated into our constructed lives through organization (grids or pattern designs, for example), so there is a connection between these visual constellations.

My work is about observations of these systems of connections in the natural environment – taking elements from that environment to create a new context. I am also interested in exploring the notion of space – boundary-less/open space (the natural world) and defined/closed space (design elements) with the idea of ultimately creating a contemplative space. I am attracted to imagery that may seem visually banal (such as a fallen tree) and elevating it to a higher level of awareness, creating an equivalence between blandness and emotion.

KIKI GAFFNEY received her BA from Loyola College, Baltimore, and her MFA from the University of the Arts, Philadelphia. She has exhibited with Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA; Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery, Philadelphia, PA; Christys Art Center, Sag Harbor, NY; Krasdale Gallery, New York, NY; Susan Maasch Fine Art, Portland, ME. She is a five-time recipient of the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts grants and recent past residencies: Land Line Artist Residency, Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver, CO, and Montello Foundation Artist in Residence, Montello, NV. Her work is in the collection of Denver Botanic Gardens, Microsoft, Canon USA Inc., Sonoma State University, and Capital One.