I make work that explores the idea of nostalgia and the day-to-day. I am very interested in the idea of memory, thinking about how much of our mundane lives is simply forgotten and seemingly wasted until it comes back in a flash of nostalgia. I focus on simple moments that don’t seem to hold much meaning while they happen but demand a strange kind of reverence when we remember them. I also explore technology’s role in our lives, and how it has become a necessary part of our day-to-day. Most of my work is painted, using oil, gouache, or digital medium to create visual narratives. I put a strong emphasis on light and color. The colors are soft and muted, and paired with delicate lighting, I create a feeling of familiarity and looking back on time gone by. The figures in my pieces are typically singular with faces obscured so that they are more ambiguous. My work provides the viewer a space to step into and explore, and it gives permission to pause and remember.

Kelli Bonafede (She, Her, Hers) | @kellibonafede