Kemper

The works I make reveal certain genuine human experiences – what it is to be alive. They are offerings to states of being; fear, euphoria, alienation, humor. I strive to evolve a vocabulary that is able to assert it’s necessity and allow one to speak. Philip Guston said “The problem begins when we see what it is the soul will not permit the hand to do.” You see, I’m still trying to locate my place in this world, in myself. It is a sublime moment to bring a piece from the firing into the light, to curl a monotype from the press, or experience the awe of things simply beautiful. This is when I feel alive and where the struggle lies. Kemper received a bachelor’s degree in fine arts – with a split major of ceramics and painting – at the Kansas City Arts Institute. He studied printmaking with post graduate work at the University of Oklahoma and photography at Napa Valley College. His curiosity led him to make photographs and paintings while traveling through Europe, Southeast Asia, and India. His refuge, garden and studio are in Napa, California where he continues to dream.