"I enjoy the tension of constant exploration. The discomfort of continually pushing the limits of what I know and how I create, combined with the seduction of color, texture, and form in my materials results in work that continually shifts over time. As an artist, it is important for me to remain uncomfortable with the process of creation. Once I come to fully grasp the body of work I am creating, I feel the chapter begin to close. As the fear of not knowing what comes next arises, I tamp it down with the trust in what guides me to give me the answer when the time is right, as it always does. Shifting between drawing, painting, and reclaimed fiber sculpture keeps me energized and allows me to pose questions to myself and my viewers that seek to draw out answers that teach us about ourselves and our relationship to what is undefined, what is not yet understood, and what could be.” Kelly Allen earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Humboldt State University in Arcata, California, and her Master of Fine Arts degree from Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including galleries and museums in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and London.