Story

“Kristy is a unique master, her technique is quite authentic and inspiring: All of Kristy's works are painted with her bare hands. There are no brushes or palette knives used, which adds to the immediacy and rawness of the painting.”

— Alik Elzafon, American Art Gallery, Carmel, CA

As a California native, Kristy Chettle’s (b. 1968, Los Angeles, CA) paintings explore themes of nature, transformation and self empowerment. Using only her hands and an occasional pallet knife, she paints in multiple layers, sometimes scraping off paint with her fingers only to reapply a new color later, resulting in deep texture and raw motion. Occasionally she writes her thoughts and emotions into the canvas or uses recycled paper or old screens to catch the next layer of paint enhancing the depth and visual interest of each piece. Working primarily with complimentary colors, her paintings are lively and raw with color vibrating throughout from layers deep within the work.

Kristy is influenced and driven by her strong desire to protect both humankind and nature. She believes her work reflects the rebirth of both, hoping to spread inspiration and creativity to others. Her upbeat enthusiasm comes across in her work where she becomes intimate with her paint and canvas. By using her hands, she can literally feel the paint as she spreads it, giving her a spiritual connection with her work. Using large tubes of paint gives her the freedom to squeeze heavy amounts into her hands or right onto her canvas—moving the paint in dramatic strokes with her fingers, hands and arms, blending it and scraping it off again.

As a lifelong graphic designer, her paintings are a respite from the rigid rules of marketing. Yet Kristy knows innately how to use the whole canvas and provide balance, repetition, white space and motion, all elements of a good design and all represented in her paintings. Recently, Kristy has discovered painting on reclaimed wood for her canvasses and the freedom it brings. Not only does her oil paint dry faster, but a good recycled fence board comes with a natural texture that lends beautifully with her impasto technique.

Kristy’s unique style exudes both drama and depth and stimulates one’s own creative mind, allowing each viewer to enjoy their own individual experience.