Soaring Eagle by Kelly Witte

11x14 Ink on paper by Kelly Witte

Artist Statement:

My latest series, Decade Daydreaming, is a vivid and excessive celebration of my interest in vintage clothing, hairstyles, décor, and sitcoms. In my work, I use various combinations of linocut and serigraph prints, watercolor, and transparent acrylic inks. Each piece consists of decorative patterns and sweet hues partnered to create kitschy compositions of glamorous women adorned in fashions of bygone eras.

The love I have for vintage items began early. I grew up in a 1963 ranch style home that had all of its original fixtures and décor. I adored wandering down to the basement to rummage through the collection of vinyl records, admiring their album covers. During these years I was enthralled with classic sitcoms such as I Love Lucy, Leave it to Beaver, and The Dick Van Dyke Show. My repeated exposure to these throwbacks of a by-gone era had me yearning with nostalgia for what I was never able to experience firsthand.

Through my suite of prints, I am able to combine my favored media of painting and printmaking with my love of vintage attire.