EXCLUSIVE ARTIST Q&A

What has inspired you in some of your newer work?

Lately I have been thinking about ‘systems’ in nature - systems of movement, such as seed disbursement through wind or the flow of water; systems of light and reflection; and systems of communication, such as the mycorrhizal network. I’ve also been thinking about what we can visually see versus what is hidden, or underground. I am very interested in the harmony of nature, how all of these systems work together to create perfect flow, although it may seem visually chaotic from a limited vantage point. When I look at an organic object, whether something vast like a mountain range, or something microscopic, like a fungal specimen, they are connected by communication and by movement that is beyond what we can see, so my work is about imagining that conversation and connection through both recognizable and abstract imagery.

What does a typical day in the studio look like?

It depends on the day! I work part-time as a woodworker and yoga teacher, so some days I only have a few hours in the studio. Fridays are great because I get to spend the whole day in the studio. Regardless of how much time I have, I do try to plan out in advance what I want to accomplish, so I can use the time to my advantage. I generally try to focus on the work and only use my laptop to look at imagery or research ideas that may pop up. I listen to music or podcasts, lately Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History. It helps me to zone out and get into whatever drawing I am working on. I take a quick break for lunch and, if it’s nice out, maybe a little walk around the block. My studio is located in a pretty rundown section of North Philadelphia, but I still manage to find lots of beautiful details, either in the architecture, or the little bits of nature I see.

There are many different materials incorporated into your pieces - how do you choose what to work with?

Two materials I work with quite a bit are gold leaf and glitter. Their reflective qualities allow the work to shift in perspective, depending on what angle you are at. They are also great materials for representing light (especially the gold leaf). Further, these materials add a bit of ornateness or reverence to the subjects I draw, which are often objects not considered traditionally beautiful, such as a fallen and decaying tree. In the last couple years I discovered colored graphite (for mechanical pencils), so I have been exploring how color can render an image and change the whole feel of the piece. Color in general is also super important in my work. I am interested in the idea of ‘sottobosco’ (forest floor or undergrowth), which visually is very dark. I try to reimagine it with bright colors as a way of ‘shedding light’ on what we cannot see.

Kiki Gaffney
Blue Arch, 2017
oil and graphite on wood panels
12 x 24 in.
$3,400