about the artist.
My work is rooted in my equal, but seemingly opposing desires for both order and expressiveness - and finding where they overlap.
Paper itself has several dichotomous qualities: it can be both rigid and delicate, structured and flowing, angular and curving. Using paper as my palette, I fold, cut, and assemble sculptural “paintings” focused on color, texture, form, and interaction with light.
My practice is both process-driven and intuitive, incorporating precise and intentional folds but also embracing spontaneity in how the paper elements ultimately arrange themselves, before meticulously fixing them in place. The techniques vary and evolve, but there is a sustained emphasis on feelings of movement, rhythm and calm, spaciousness.
While abstract, the underlying themes and influences on my work include nature, architecture, human communication, and personal experiences.
statement.
bio.
Kelli Nyman is an abstract paper artist living in Cambridge, MA with a studio in Somerville, MA. Nyman considers herself self-taught, with her degree in Design & Merchandising from Drexel University and her 12-year career in marketing giving her a grounding in art, design, and business.
Since making her first sculptural paintings in 2016, Nyman’s work has been commissioned by several private and corporate clients across the US and Canada, including the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, DC and McKinsey & Company in Boston, MA. Her work is also held in the permanent collection of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston..
press.
New England Home Magazine, “Painting with Paper”
All Things Paper, "Elegant 3D Origami Art - Kaleidowall"
Craft Industry Alliance, "Artful Angles Make a Good Business: Profile of Kelli Nyman"