John Paul Kesling's practice delves into the complexities of human intimacy, both romantic and familial. After the death of his younger brother and many of his friends to the ongoing opioid epidemic of his Appalachian hometown and the country at large, Kesling's own mortality becomes embedded within his mark-making. Driven by the need to understand the world around him, Kesling's work serves as a visual exploration of the emotional and psychological intricacies of intimate relationships, personal loss, and our place in the natural world. Imbued with a deep sense of nostalgia, the work harkens back to the excitement and vulnerability of new human connections and experiencing nature in a new light. Through painting, Kesling is not looking for facts; instead, he is searching for hope. For him, painting is as necessary as digging in the dirt—dragging your hand through a body of water—across a freshly buzzed head.
John Paul Kesling (b. 1980) was born and raised in Northeastern Kentucky in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. He received his BFA in the Arts from Morehead State University in 2003 and spent a summer in Europe studying art history in 2002. He went on to receive his MFA in Painting from The Savannah College of Art and Design in 2010. His work has been featured in various group exhibitions at Ground Floor Contemporary, Lowe Mill, Gallery 85, The Parthenon, CultureLab LIC, Piano Craft Gallery, New York Hall of Science & SciArts Initiative, Prince Street Gallery, Flatwork Contemporary, I Like Your Work Podcast, ArtMaze Mag, Create Magazine and the NYC Crit Club Winter Session 2023 (curated by MEPAINTSME). In 2022 he was accepted to the White Columns Curated Online Artist Registry in New York, NY. His work is included in the permanent collections of The Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta, GA and Lacoste, France, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Community Arts Initiative and Soho House Nashville. He has attended artist residencies at On:View at Sulfur Studios in Savannah, GA, Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, VT, Art Residency Chattanooga in Tennessee, Azule in Hot Springs, NC, Jx Farms in Cleveland, MS, and Mudhouse in Crete, Greece. He had solo shows at Wheelhouse Arts in Louisville, KY, Oz Arts in Nashville, TN and The Red Arrow Gallery in Nashville, TN. Kesling is a member of the artist collective at Ground Floor Contemporary in Birmingham, AL and is represented by The Red Arrow Gallery in Nashville, TN and Wheelhouse Art in Louisville, KY.