Born in Santa Fe, Kelli holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of New Mexico and currently resides in Albuquerque. Her practice spans mixed media and illustrated ceramics and has always been process-oriented and experimental. Kelli’s work is rooted in Figurative Expressionism and has been described as unselfconscious, relatable, and delightfully dark and twisted. Across both wall-based and functional ceramic works, her art carries a whimsical style and poignant voice, drawing viewers in through relatable characters, tactile surfaces, and shared emotional experience. "I work in mixed media and illustrated ceramics to explore personal questions that recur throughout my life and practice. Rooted in figurative expressionism, my work draws from lived experience without fixed narrative. I’m especially drawn to ceramics for their functional, tactile nature—objects meant to be held and used in everyday life. Through imagery, surface, and repetition, my work invites reflection rather than resolution."