By Bonnie Gangelhoff
Kyle Pettis, Swedish Milk, oil, 22 x 22.
ART EDUCATION: Minneapolis College of Art and Design; The Atelier Studio Program of Fine Art, Minneapolis, MN; and the Florence Academy of Art, Italy.
STYLE: Contemporary realism.
MOST INTERESTING THING ABOUT THE WAY YOU WORK: I am always trying new compositions and techniques. Right now I’m building custom, curved frames and giving them faux finishes. Then I attach a “canvas” made of copper to the frame with small copper nails. Finally, I create an oil painting on the copper. I am trying to give a more three-dimensional feel to my work and create luminosity with the glow from the copper.
SECOND-CHOICE CAREER: I’ve always wanted to be an artist. In elementary school, the teacher asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up. I drew an artist with a palette and paint brushes.
BEST ADVICE RECEIVED: Few are they that see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts.
CREATIVE SPARK: Just getting excited about a new idea sparks my creativity. Once I get an idea, a whole bunch of ideas come after that. It’s about getting that first idea.
ONE THING MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU: Snowboarding is my second-favorite thing to do.
FUTURE GOALS: Travel and paint the world.
PRICE RANGE: $475 to $9,750.
REPRESENTATION: www.kylepettis.com.
Featured in our annual “21 Under 31” issue in September 2010