The Ohio Artist Registry (OAR) is an exciting opportunity for artists to share their work, connect with the creative community, and establish an online presence—all on a free, virtual platform! The OAR encourages artists working in all art forms, throughout Ohio and beyond, to create a profile, which allows them to better promote themselves and their work. Being listed in the OAR provides artists with new opportunities to share their work with clients, galleries, patrons, and audiences. A listing in the OAR does not confer an endorsement, approval, or verification by the Ohio Arts Council.
For more information, contact Kathy Signorino, artist programs director, at kathy.signorino@oac.ohio.gov or 614-728-6140.
2025 Ohio Artist Registry Juried Exhibition
K. Rossi
Bio
K. Rossi (“Rossi”, he/they)
Born 1994 in Long Island, NY.
Lives and Works in Columbus, OH.
Education
2024 Community Arts Incubator, Franklinton, OH
2017 B.A., Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, OH
Artist Statement
My oil paintings center around a sole figure, focusing on queer and diverse body types. Through these works I aim to promote body positivity, and through my technique I subjectively describe their complex human experience. I view my subject through a lens of introspection, and celebrate them in the painting.
I mix melancholic, stoic poses with brilliant hues and estranged, inorganic textures. In this way I visually characterize the subject’s story, and map it directly onto them. I want viewers to feel like they can imagine parts of the subject’s life story and struggles without knowing any explicit details.
My underpainting is partially exposed behind bold, impasto strokes in the top layer, creating a layered, percussive texture throughout. The cracks in the top layer hint at a flawed existence, while the bright colors illuminate the joy and dignity of the subject. My use of dark backgrounds isolates the subject and the viewer, inviting introspection and creating a dramatic feeling that emphasizes the solemn tone of the pose.