BIO

Born in 1981 and raised in San Diego, CA, Kelsey Overstreet discovered her passion for painting in her early teens. She is an accomplished abstract painter and printmaker, working with water-based paints, oil sticks, thread, and spray paint. Overstreet received her MFA in 2018 from Azusa Pacific University.

 Her artistic journey is rooted in process-based abstraction, with conceptual explorations that delve into mark-making as a representation of both celebration and clean-up. The act of creating becomes a sensory sharing experience between the artist, observer, and a blueprint of contemporary human existence. Overstreet's choice of materials reflects themes of relationship, conflict, connection, resolve, and the beauty born from chaos.

 With a diverse background in various mediums, including textile design and nontraditional printmaking, Overstreet spent three years in Italy crafting one-of-a-kind hand-printed textiles for unique clothing. These distinctive processes manifest in the explorative marks within her paintings.

 Since 2001, Kelsey Overstreet has actively participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions across the USA. Her work has been featured in several magazines, and she has garnered awards and grants for her artistic contributions. Currently residing in San Diego, California, she shares her life with her husband and their two children.

close up of abstract painting Kelsey Overstreet

Artist Statement

My artistic journey has always revolved around the exploration of the human body: its inherent intelligence and its remarkable ability to process information when we truly embrace its presence. Every day, we absorb and synthesize an immense amount of stimuli, and the experiences we hold within ourselves can profoundly nourish or strain our nervous systems. To delve deeper into this realm, I embark on extensive walks, which serve as my "research" and allow me to not only inhabit my body fully but also acquire experiential knowledge of my visual environment. The space in which I move, see, and feel becomes a constant reference point that influences my approach to painting.

My art serves as both a celebration and a call to action, urging viewers to notice and appreciate the beauty and complexity of the world that surrounds us. The interplay between light and shadow captivates me, and I utilize this dynamic to create abstract works that are rooted in a process-based approach, capturing the essence of the subconscious. Within my work, I constantly seek to uncover beauty in unexpected places, whether it be within the aftermath of a storm or the remnants of human activity. I wholeheartedly embrace the unpredictable and the accidental, allowing my chosen materials to guide me just as much as I guide them. Through this symbiotic relationship, my paintings come to life, reflecting the ever-changing nature of the world we inhabit.

Ultimately, my art is an ode to the present moment, an invitation to actively observe and appreciate the vastness that surrounds us. By delving into the depths of the body and harmonizing with the ebb and flow of existence, I strive to create artworks that are dynamic, alive, and resonant with the ever-evolving world we call home.