Kelsey NaPier, “Delta” (copper and stucco on wood), 6 inches by 4 inches by ¾ inches. PHOTO BY KELSEY NAPIER
“When I see something beautiful that I do not fully understand, I have an impulse to make art,” says artist Kelsey NaPier. Her work is heavily textured and abstract, on rectangular or circular bases, sometimes in a shock of primary color, sometimes a deeply layered mix of hues and shapes. The O‘ahu-born artist, who has been painting since childhood, describes her art as “analog texture with digital glitz”—analog referring to the tactile nature of her work, with the “digital glitz” being the beauty of technologies that inspire art—allowing her to “have her feet on the ground and her head in the sky.” Part of NaPier’s process is photographing interesting colors and textures on her travels around the world. The sharp ‘A‘ā lava of the Big Island. A glimmering abalone shell found on the Malibu coast. The plaster and lime wash walls of Florence, Italy. She references these photographs to create her highly textured pieces using a variety of media: sand, plaster, flakes of mica, finely ground pumice, clay and copper, which are then layered with acrylics and aerosols. “Texture inspires a sense of awe and curiosity within me,” explains NaPier. “It can describe movement, record creative processes and reflect the rhythm of life itself. Texture connects us to the past and grounds us in the present moment.” kelseynapier.com
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