This Artist Leaves Some Things to Chance

Kelly Kozma’s artistic practice requires planning, as much as chance. Often, the mixed media artist uses dice as a way of determining which colors to use, while other times her practice requires a level of meticulousness that leaves nothing to chance (in one instance, she drew a thousand tiny bricks, brick by brick).

Combining drawing, painting, and hand embroidery with elements of probability, Kozma creates vivid artwork that’s very pattern-driven. According to her, combining these methods creates an organic rhythm that could not exist if she were making all of the choices solely on her own accord.

But finding a neat title for what it is exactly that she does is much harder than her practice itself, as her work often defies categorization. “I don’t really know where I fit into the contemporary art scene,” Kozma remarked once in an interview with Textile Artist.

“Sometimes I wonder if I should be making things that are more on trend or would appeal to the masses,” she reflected. “I still struggle with posts that don’t get many likes, and question how I could be cooler/better, essentially more popular–HA! But then I check in with myself and I know that this work is meaningful to me and that I’m telling stories. Storytelling is timeless, like textiles in general.”

Having showcased her pieces in several solo and group shows around the country, it’s clear that her personal stories resonate with others as well. Take a look for yourself: