49 - Christina Kent

Morning in Potrero, 2023. Oil on canvas, 18 x 18 x 1 in. Courtesy the artist 

From the artist: "In my figurative oil paintings, I delve into the intricacies of light and color within everyday scenes. While studying for a PhD in economics, I realized the limitations of rational models in capturing human experiences, prompting my shift to painting for a direct exploration of reality.                    

I discovered how mental models obscured the complexity of reality, prompting me to focus intently on my surroundings and uncover subtle nuances in familiar places through repeated visits. This process challenges my rational mental models and encourages seeing without preconceptions.                    

My work often portrays people absorbed in urban scenes, highlighting the transient nature of fleeting moments. Despite figures occasionally looking away from the viewer, they serve as a conduit for connection and contemplation within the painting.    

I am a figurative painter working primarily in oils. A former PhD economist, my transition to painting was catalyzed by a realization that the rational economic lens was insufficient to capture the profound complexity inherent in human experience. Through my paintings, I reflect on the subtle nuances hidden in mundane moments of everyday life. I have exhibited at Studio, Gallery, San Francisco, CA; Arc Gallery, San Francisco, CA; Inclusions Gallery, San Francisco, CA; and Pence Gallery, Davis, CA; among others. In 2023, I was awarded the Emerging Artist Award from Pence Gallery and had my first solo show there in 2024. I was also selected to be a 2024 Artist in Residence at both the Chalk Hill and Pouch Cove artist residencies. I currently live and work in San Francisco, California."