Skip to content

Bottom Video

Pull Quote

My paintings present the viewer with a single scene from a story. When a scene is removed from its context, we are left to fill in the gaps.

Biography

Biography

KERRA TAYLOR received her BFA and minor in art history from Missouri State University in 2012. She earned her MFA from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2016. She has two current bodies of work which are representational, narrative-based paintings.

 

Kerra has exhibited her work in juried shows such as the No Dead Artists exhibition at Jonathan Ferrara Gallery in New Orleans, where she has been awarded a solo show. Dr. Samuel Peralta curated her artwork into “Chronicles of a Future Foretold” exhibition at 33 Contemporary Gallery in Chicago. She has been published in New American Paintings MFA editions #117 and #129. She has also been featured in several PoetsArtists publications and online exclusives on Artsy via Zhou B Art Center. Two of her paintings are in the 21 C Museum Hotels collection.

 

She currently teaches beginning and intermediate drawing courses at Missouri State University.

Artist Statement

Artist Statement

Stories are told through many mediums. My work exploits the narrative potential of painting. A painting, however, cannot encompass the entirety of a narrative, but it can imply a narrative. It functions more like a single scene from the story rather than the whole story. When we take a scene out of context, we are left to fill in the gaps. For every person, for every story, their interpretation of the scene will be unique. In this manner, I allow room for the viewer to enter into my paintings and complete the stories with their own past experiences. 

 

I playfully fabricate memories with my spouse, parents, siblings, and in-laws, as I fill in the holes caused by the loss of stories. I take into consideration the various personalities, quirks, and typical environments that my relatives and I live in. My paintings are embellishments of personal experiences with family. By putting them in these normal settings with such unusual circumstances, I create my own stories, both familiar and fantastic at the same time. It is in these extraordinary situations that we find the stories that are more worth telling.

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION

2016       Master of Fine Arts, Painting, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL
2012       Bachelor of Fine Arts, Painting, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO
2006       General Studies, University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO
 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2019       Playfully Serious, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA

2018       The Falsehood of Memories, Arts Council of Southeast Missouri Gallery, Cape Girardeau, MO

2017       Specious Recollections, Spiva Art Gallery, Missouri Southern State University, Joplin, MO
               The Theatrics of Storytelling, East Central College Art Gallery, East Central Community College, Union, MO
               Constructed Memories, C-Street Gallery, Drury University, Springfield, MO 

2016       Retelling the Untold, University Museum, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL

2013       Collective Memories of Home, Vergette Gallery, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL

 

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2018      22nd Annual No Dead Artists, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA. Jurors: CCH Pounder, Rene Paul

              Barilleaux, and Francis H Williams.

              Real People, Old Courthouse, Arts Center, Woodstock, IL. Juror: John Pitman Weber

              Chronicles of a Future Untold, Poets and Artists, Zhou B Art Center, NXT Art Projects/ 33

              Contemporary Gallery, Chicago, IL, Curated by Samuel Peralta and Director Sergio Gomez

              Exploration of Light, Vanessa Lacy Gallery, Kansas City, MO

2017      Art at the Center Exhibition, Tomohawk Ridge Community Center Gallery, Overland Park, KS, juried by

              David Beal

              At The Walker Open Exhibition, Walker Art Gallery, Garnet, KS, juried by Kim Casebeer

              Personal Space, Art Saint Louis Gallery, St. Louis, MO, juried by Cbabi Bayoc & Ruth Reese

              Silver Lining, Expose Art House, Montgomery, AL, curated by Chintia Kirana.

2016      Regional Juried Exhibition, Arts Council of Southeast Missouri Gallery, Cape Girardeau, MO, juried by

              Madeleine Marie LeMieux

              The Old Orchard Gallery, Webster Groves, MO, juried by William Morris, video artist, graduate of the Art

              Institute of Chicago and Washington University

2015      Across Divides: International Art and Design High Education Exchange Exhibition, Beijing Normal University

              Art Gallery, Beijing, China