About Me
Artist Statement
My curiosity of spirituality, astronomy and the idea of infinity has led me on a quest to discover all of life‘s deepest secrets. My art explores the cosmic mysteries of both inner and outer space, the connectivity between all things, and the understanding of our universe along with our roles and purpose in it.
Creating my 3-D paper and mixed media art is often a slow, repetitive and meditative process. While ripping, folding, cutting and gluing, I contemplate the ideas of scientists and mystics across the ages infuse the essence of these concepts into my art.
Through Artists on Couches (AOC), I am interested in creating an artwork through an energetic exchange with other artists as we collectively share our individual experiences and reflections of the undefinable creative process.
My intention for AOC is to deepen the participants and listeners connection to themselves, others and the universe itself.
“The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.” – Carl Sagan.
Photo credit: Anavi Photography
Artist Bio
Kelly Joy Ladd is a self-taught artist based in Orlando, Florida. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a liberal studies degree focusing on astronomy and creative writing.
Before becoming a full-time artist, Kelly worked as a Disney World parade performer, music writer for HardRock.com and editor and prop stylist for Parenting magazine. All the while, she was creating art using a wide variety of materials and developing her own style and unique techniques.
The catalyst that pushed Kelly to work with paper as her primary medium happened when her husband, who has Lyme disease, developed a condition called multiple chemical sensitivity, which made him severely allergic to chemicals, including paint.
In March 2020, just as the Covid lockdown began, Kelly experienced a severe head injury and lost the ability to focus and track with her eyes. Due to this injury, she had to make significant life adjustments, including not being able to read, look at her phone and computer, or even watch TV for two years. Without outside distractions, Kelly focused her full attention on her art and meditation practices, as well as healing.
Kelly took this life-alternating obstacle and transformed it into an opportunity to truly discover her artistic voice and purpose by making the work she always wanted to create.
Kelly‘s work responds to themes of cosmic and creative mysteries, exploring inner and outer space, the connection of all things within our universe and our roles and purpose in it.
Kelly‘s intuitive artistic approach aligns her with her influences: transcendental artists Hilma af Klint, Agnes Pelton and Emma Kunz.