It’s no coincidence that childhood and playfulness are consistent themes throughout the work of Kelsie Oreta (1988): she’s persistent in her pursuit of that which tried to elude her. Diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of four, she was learning how to read while waiting for blood tests and painting in temperas during hospital stays for chemo treatments.

A graduate of the University of Houston with a degree in communication and a former student of David Dunlop and Dmitri Wright of Silvermine Arts Center and Sari Shryack of Not Sorry Art School, she uses acrylic, oil, and digital paint to create narratives of small, precious moments that make up everyday life--in technicolor.

Native to Texas, Kelsie has been a resident of Fairfield, Connecticut since 2015. In 2019, she created Fairfield Shares, an online gift economy that serves thousands of her neighbors. Her work in the group led her to be honored with a day declared in her name in The Town of Fairfield on August 11, 2022. Watching her children grow up in Fairfield has a profound influence in her art. She marvels at the magnificent beauty of mundane daily life: undisturbed natural areas nestled among manicured homes and small businesses; neighbors and families interacting with four seasons of stunning Americana as a backdrop. She references this imagery in her work with child-like playfulness and an impressionist-inspired style.

About the Artist

Artist Statement

When I approach a canvas, I do so with playful spirit. Music, movement, and dance are important components of my mark making—each brushstroke is a high-chroma, delicious daub of delight, proof of a moment of joy. Paintings are an opportunity for me to spread that emotion into others’ homes and reignite delight within their daily lives.

Being present is underrated and increasingly rare. I intensify the color palette of a scene with a painterly feel, creating a distinctly human-made moment that attracts the eye. I cultivate moments  into a composition of abundance that encourages the eye to dance, energetically taking in information within the painting yet remaining within its boundaries. The moments I depict tell stories that are offered to everyone every day, if they take the time to pause. My paintings are both reminder and invitation.