Howdy!
I'm Kaylie, an artist and art teacher based in sunny Florida.
My art is a never-ending goal of portraying my world as I see it, often focusing on the coastal pulse I'm lucky to be surrounded by. There is a story behind each painting; all of my works are a glimpse into a day, a memory I want to bring to life. It's my way of journaling and remembering the sweet moments spent enjoying this life. It may be a fish we caught, a day spent on the water, or friends at the beach. Each piece takes me back to a moment in time—moments that reflect laughter with friends, a love for the water, and a sense of fun.
The flow of painting and shift in my perception is what keeps me creating. Keeping a limited palette and allowing the brushstrokes to remain loose is my favorite challenge. I've been creating for as long as I can remember. I earned a Bachelor's degree in Art and a Master's in Art Education, and now reside in Stuart, Florida.
Artist Statement
My work is anchored in two distinct but deeply connected practices—one rooted in scale, structure, and meditative repetition; the other grounded in memory, atmosphere, and the quiet glow of nostalgia. Together, these bodies of work express how I see the world: through texture, light, and the emotional residue of lived experience.
Alligator Collection:
One part of my practice is dedicated to creating large, full‑scale paintings of alligators. Each piece begins with ink—prints, outlines, or strong linear foundations that dictate the composition. From there, I build the form with acrylic, working within a limited palette that forces me to focus on texture, value, and the precision of mark‑making. These constraints are intentional; they strip the process down to what matters most to me: line, repetition, and the quiet concentration required to build something powerful— one layer at a time. This process becomes meditative. The deliberate movement of drawing and layering pulls me into a focused stillness, mirroring the still tension of the creature itself. I want viewers to feel that same pull—the awe of standing before something massive and ancient, the depth of its textures, the duality of danger and calm.
Logbook Collection:
The second part of my practice functions as a visual logbook—painted snapshots of small, meaningful moments from my life. These works are not about literal representation; they are about how memory feels. I paint these moments with a warm, nostalgic glow, using limited, harmonious palettes to create cohesion between light and shadow. Warm tones suggest low light; cool shadows anchor the composition; and the rule of odds guides the balance of each piece. These scenes often fill the entire frame: crabs caught while diving at sunset, hands on surfboards before paddling out with friends, or quiet rituals performed under soft coastal light. Faces are intentionally absent, allowing viewers to project themselves into the moment or reinterpret moments in their own way. Layering and shadow do the storytelling here—suggesting movement, emotion, and the fleeting nature of memory. These paintings capture the essence of lived experience: soft, familiar, imperfect, and glowing with the warmth of recollection.
Though these two bodies of work appear visually different, they share the same foundations: limited palettes, intentional linework, strong compositional choices, and an emphasis on emotional resonance. Whether I’m building the leathery texture of an alligator’s scales or the warm blur of a remembered evening, my goal is the same—to create work that is both grounded and felt, both precise and atmospheric.
One practice grounds me in discipline and meditation; the other invites me to revisit the moments that shape me. Together, they form a complete expression of how I experience my environment and my experiences.