June:   Beauty in Brokenness

The theme of this series was inspired by the Japanese art of Kintsugi, a practice of repairing broken pottery with resin and gold. The repaired pottery is all the more precious, durable, and beautiful as a result of being broken and mended. 

These paintings explore fragility and strength, using gold and semi-abstract elements to communicate the story of each person represented. I met with models and spent time interviewing, sketching and photographing them. Models shared about their experiences, the words and songs that have sustained them, and the hopes they have for the future. I took note of their favorite colors, numbers, elements, animals, and the meaning of their names—all of which informed the composition of their portraits. 

These portraits tell stories of struggle and hope, wading into the messiness of life and inviting honest conversation about otherness, identity, and redemption. I pray the encounter will leave you encouraged. Wherever we find ourselves now, our stories are not finished.

Katie Joy Nellis studied painting at Gordon College in Massachusetts and in Orvieto, Italy. Since graduating in 2013 she has worked as a self-employed artist, illustrator, and art tutor in Lancaster County. She specializes in oil portraits on wood. Learn more at KatieJoyNellisArt.net