A warm welcome to our guest blogger and gallery artist: Kenya Letourneau. Kenya reveals her unique and captivating perspective as an artist. Featured in Rumriver Art Center’s 21 Step Gallery, Kenya’s show opening is: June 3, 2023, from 2-4. She will host an Artist Talk on July 8 from 3-5.
We trust you’ll enjoy her insight and boundless passion for creativity.
Hi, my name is Kenya Letourneau and I am a mixed-media artist based in Big Lake, MN. As an artist, I’ve always been drawn to expressing my creativity through various mediums. However, it wasn’t until I participated in the Golden Valley Art and Music Festival in 2015 that I truly found my passion for creating art and began showcasing my work at craft fairs. Before that, I mainly did commission paintings for friends and family.
My artistic style is unique and varied, with inspiration coming from everything around me. Whether it’s my children, food, nature, or other people, my work is a reflection of my imaginative spirit.
I like to think outside the box, and my pieces often blur the lines between different artistic styles, ranging from realistic impressionism to abstract and landscape designs.
When it comes to the mediums I use, I mostly work with acrylic and enamel paints. However, in my mixed media pieces, I incorporate a wide variety of materials, such as buttons, yarn, and sticks – anything that I can glue down and turn into something beautiful.
My creative process is fluid and ever-changing. Sometimes, I start a piece with a clear idea in mind, and it comes to life seamlessly on canvas. Other times, I may get stuck on a certain point and need to step away and come back later with a fresh perspective. I often find inspiration in nature, magazines, or even TV shows, and my pieces usually end up morphing into something completely different from what I initially had in mind.
While I have many favorite pieces, two stand out to me the most. The first is a vibrant mapping piece with colorful details against a deep blue background that exudes movement and energy. The second is a 3D woman blooming out of a sunflower, a piece that has countless interpretations and radiates hope and change. I purposely don’t name my pieces because I want each viewer to interpret the work in their own way and make it personal to them.
I’m excited to be showcasing my work at the Rum River Art Center, as it’s an excellent opportunity to meet other artists and network.
I’ll also be teaching a workshop on a piece of mine, which is an incredible opportunity for me to engage with like-minded individuals and step out of my comfort zone.
Throughout my artistic journey, I’ve been inspired by every artist I’ve met through the craft fairs and the larger art community. My family has also been a significant influence on my work. As a child, I was fascinated by Van Gogh and Lipschitz, who both created pieces that were outside of the box, almost to the point of exaggeration. I want my art to be similar – to make people take a second look, or to see something completely different the second time around.
To anyone starting out as an artist, my advice would be to do what moves you and to have fun with it. You don’t have to be technically perfect or follow a set of rules. Embrace your uniqueness and let it shine through your work. Remember, there will always be admirers of your art, no matter how unconventional it may seem.
Thank you Kenya for sharing your artwork and inspiring creative approach! We invite our Art Communityto engage further with Kenya at her upcoming gallery events and workshop. https://rumriverart.com/21-step-gallery/
