Kellie Lehr

Kellie Lehr (b. 1970) is a visual artist based in Bentonville, AR, holds an MFA from Lesley University College of Art and Design in Cambridge, MA, and a BSBA from the University of Arkansas. Her work is included in the 2023-25 Juried Registry of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C., by its Arkansas Committee. Lehr recently participated in an Artist in Residence program at Foundation House in Greenwich, CT, and is set to attend the Château d’Orquevaux Artists Residency in Champagne-Ardenne, France, this spring. Her work has been in exhibitions across the US, including Manifest Gallery in Cincinnati, The Painting Center in NYC, 21C Museum Hotel in Bentonville, AR, the Arkansas Museum of Fine Art in Little Rock, AR, Ft. Smith Regional Arts Museum, and the Lunder Arts Center in Cambridge, MA. Lehr’s first solo show in NYC took place at The Painting Center in January 2024.

Kellie’s work was featured in ‘Marking | Folding Time’ on view April 13-28, 2024.

“I find that folding is not just a physical action but a metaphor for transformation and organization, evident in both the natural world and daily life. My recent art series delves into the technique of folding raw canvas to create and present paintings in unconventional ways, a process that mirrors the nuanced layers of existence. This approach allows me to explore hidden patterns, embodying the essence of change and continuity. I am deeply intrigued by the way these patterns intersect with notions of time and space, and how the canvas itself becomes a repository of its past states. For me, painting is a deeply personal and ritualistic practice, where I engage with the material as a co-creator. Through the repetitive acts of folding, unfolding, and refolding, I discover a profound intimacy with my work, revealing infinite possibilities within the constraints of humble materials.”