Lilly Kissling

Literary Arts : Author/Writer ; Visual Arts : Illustrator , Muralist , Painter

I am an artist based in San Antonio, Texas. I decided to pursue art in 2015 after taking an advanced art class in high school. It was a nice break between my rigorous courses and helped with my anxiety. Art gave me something to focus on other than my worries. I found relief escaping into the paintings I made. I started with acrylics and watercolors but have expanded into various mediums including gouache, embroidery, and pressed flowers. I’m inspired by nature and whimsy. I focus mostly on landscapes, capturing their color and detail. I allow myself to follow my curiosity, and try different mediums and surfaces. From miniature canvases to walls for murals, I am constantly pushing the boundaries my anxiety has set upon me. When I am not painting, I am writing. I hope to make my fantasy a reality with a published book series. Whether it’s a blank canvas or a blank page I create worlds to escape into.

Artist Statement of Work

Tell us about your work (style, approach, philosophy, subject and/or theme):

My work is an extension of myself and my need to exist as an active player in the world I live in. Throughout my childhood, I suffered from severe anxiety and depression. At the time, I didn't know nor understand what I was going through. I finally put a name to my afflictions in high school, the same time I started doing art. Creating kept me from growing bitter or jaded. Rather, it afforded me a place to settle my mind. To treat it with ease in this kind of freedom and ambition I would otherwise be too scared to do. My paintings incorporate detail and saturated colors intended to speak out against the lens of my depression. All while giving my anxiety something to focus on.

As I grow older, my perception of the world feels dull. I come into adulthood, and with more responsibilities, I hope to hold onto the bright and colorful world my child-like self knew before my depression took over. My work is not serious. We live in a serious world with little room for mistakes or imperfections. I want my work to bring about an unfailing sense of optimism, with child-like wonder.