Re Kielar - Artist Statement

I see beauty in the most unlikely objects and places.  My art reflects those findings through handmade papers, old book pages, found objects, metal embellishments, and things in nature.  All of these items contribute to an art piece to convey something that is resonating in my heart that cannot be fully expressed through words.  The layers and details that I put in each piece are not just an element of design, but reflect the complexity of human nature.  Inspiration for my work comes randomly at different times and in different ways, often unexpected.  I may be moved by a worship song, a beautiful image in nature or through an inspirational message in a book.  Often, I work intuitively, allowing the material I work with to define the piece.  The process of creating requires listening, and at the same time it involves continuous surrender.  It is a struggle between wanting to control and letting go of

control.  This is a central theme in many of my pieces.  As I create, I lose sense of time and I experience a satisfying sense of peace.

During this journey, two things have touched my heart.  One is seeing how things that appear to be useless, broken, or discarded are things that, when put together, can create something beautiful.  The second is that I have been able to see how God has used and continues to use the broken, buried, and found pieces of my life to create something new and good.  He has created a living collage in me, and it is my desire that my art would be an expression of hope for all discarded, broken and seemingly useless things...and people.

Re Kielar - Bio

Re Kielar was born in Chicago’s little Italy neighborhood and lived on the first floor of a two-story apartment building.  Her grandparents lived upstairs and her aunt and uncle lived across the courtyard.  Not only were they her family, but her support system, and her best friends.  Her world was very cultural, very Italian.  So much so, that when she walked through the door to the outside, it seemed as if she was leaving one country and entering another.  Her favorite playground was the alley behind her small apartment.  She spent a great deal of time there, wandering and discovering all sorts of treasures.  She found things hidden in the cracks of cobblestone bricks, buried under dirt, or in a thicket of weeds.  She collected discarded bits and pieces of anything that looked interesting, and preferred them to a brand-new toy.   As her neighborhood began to be redefined by city planners, it caused her family to move to the western suburbs, where new roots would be planted.  In her new surroundings, she still found herself playing in peculiar places.  New construction was the perfect playground now.  Electrical wires and wood scraps worked perfectly to create colorful rings and Barbie furniture.  Forget the dolls; it was all about how to construct a sofa out of Styrofoam shapes.

Re pursued an education in business and marketing, but still made time to follow her calling to create.  She has worked in oil, watercolor, acrylics, and pencil.  She has created works in photography, painted silk scarves and hand-painted cards.  She studied ornamental horticulture and worked as a floral designer for many years at local suburban shops in DuPage county.  She has also worked as a mural and faux painter, creating unique images and finishes in homes.  Re worked as a real estate professional for many years, and built her business by advising people in one of the most important purchases of their lives.  She has advised many clients with color selection and staging and re-design.  As she entered the empty nest season of life, she pursued mixed media collage art classes.   She studied numerous techniques until she connected to collage in a way that resonated with her in a meaningful way.  Over time, she developed her current style, mixing collage with her own poetry, allowing each piece of art to tell a story.   Little did she know that collage would bring her back to her “alley.”  Re helps women define their dreams through Journey board workshops and women’s retreats.  She is a member of the Midwest Collage Society, lives in Bartlett, IL with her husband of 43 years, and has two grown children.