Meet Kailee Viator Batson — MIXED MEDIA VISUAL ARTIST

(Photo in front of "Divinity" at the opening reception, with friend and fellow artist Elizabeth French.)

   Human beings are always striving to find answers for their existence. A person must shed their ideals of human experience and the material world in order to truly come to a state of enlightenment and oneness with the Divine. In early Catholicism, religious artwork was created to educate the illiterate public on biblical stories and sacred events. This concept is evident in my thesis, which acts as a tool in the understanding of the sacred qualities of nature. Through nature, a person may find a more direct connection with the Divine, a spiritual growth without referring to any specific religion. The format of this installation is suggestive of that of an altar, composed of six mixed media panel paintings. Each panel is painted in oil, ranging from thick textures to thin washes over charcoal and oil pastel sketches. The subject matter includes the human figure, insects, flowers, and bones of animals that have preexisting symbolic connotations. Many of the flowers, bugs, and bones are physically adhered to the panels to create a relationship between painted and three-dimensional elements. The inclusion of organic materials adds to the ephemeral qualities of the panels, as these objects will deteriorate over time. Major portions of these paintings are covered in gold leaf, as a reference to medieval icons. My intent is for the viewer to walk away with a heightened understanding of the own spirituality, as well as that of others.