Kimo Nelson
Kimo Nelson paints landscapes of remarkable geological features such as canyons and icebergs with methods that mimic their own formation.
He layers, distresses, and removes multiple layers of paint in ways that imitate the erosion and accumulation that shape the rippling surfaces of our planet. The twisting veins of color that traverse his paintings imitate a topographic map in both their shapes and the highly worked physical painting surface. These colors and forms aptly describe the wild shades that appear in the extraordinary scenes he paints, ranging from feral sunsets to otherworldly nightscapes. He begins his paintings with personal photos, drawings, and found objects, many of which are from his time spent in the American west. In his paintings, he hopes to bring awareness to the contested and destructive interactions humans have had and continue to have with these irreplaceable landscapes.
Brooklyn, NY
Born 1980, Honolulu HI
2012 MFA Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
2009 Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, Oregon College of Art and Craft, Portland, OR
2002 BA Lewis & Clark College, Portland, OR