Portland has such a vibrant art community, and we’ve chosen to showcase some of the local talent here, in Maine, through a rotating gallery in common spaces at The Francis. Each exhibit will either feature an artist or subject from Maine.
Kyle T. Randall
Artist Statement
Through my work, I often explore spaces and the way they are used. During my process I reflect on how we shape our spaces to suit our needs, and in turn, our spaces shape us. In my tenure at USM I made a series of three paintings of my studio space inspired by Maine artist Gideon Bok. These paintings became a touchstone for me. This was a studio space that had come to mean more to me than the physical space. It meant learning, long hours of hard work, practice. It meant community, a group of people who I trusted, who I could bring my work to and receive honest feedback. From these three paintings, I have gone on to make countless drawings and paintings of kitchens, living rooms, exterior house portraits, and city studies. I love looking at collections of things and how we use them both for their utility but also as a method of self-definition. My body of work has been an exploration of these ideas.
Most recently I have been focusing on a series of watercolor illustrations of Portland exteriors, while simultaneously developing a collection of acrylic paintings of my interior studio space. In recent months, this exploration of interior/exterior has become a rigorous investigation of what space means during a pandemic. How do we change a space that we cannot leave? How do we utilize outdoor spaces? How do we make meaning through our spaces? These are some of the questions that my studies ask.
Learn more at https://kyletrandall.com/
