Introduction

When presented with the overwhelming choice of where to share public sentiments, I have always found it easy to chose none. Writing or talking about myself is only slightly more comfortable than chewing razors, so this is in many ways a test. Pass or fail is to be determined.

My name is K.L. Wollons, and I create the work you see on this site. I grew up in Los Angeles, graduated from UCLA with a degree in philosophy, and then following in the footsteps of Plato, Descartes, and Russell, I did the obvious thing; went into the aircraft manufacturing industry. Through the years, I held various positions, but I was always within earshot of the manufacturing floor. In retrospect, having spent so much time surrounded by the sights, sounds, and smells of precision industrial fabrication, it seems undeniable that the material and fastening methods I'm drawn to came from this aircraft-building lineage.

I currently live and work in Portland, Oregon. It's a beautiful city filled with charm and countless neighborhoods to explore. Portland is supportive of art and artists with dedicated art districts and a host of industrial workspaces set up for individual or communal creativity and mess-making. If you haven't been to the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S., especially in the spring, there really isn't a word to describe the vividness of the green. Every season has something to draw inspiration from. Even the dark, wet, winter months serve to make the contrast of the first spring bloom that much more dramatic.

If left to my own devices, my work will always be abstract. One of the great rewards of making art, for me, is listening to observers describe what they see or how a particular piece impacts them. The vagueness of the subject is entirely deliberate and if it draws a person physically closer to explore it, then I consider it a success. Pieces in my portfolio with more recognizable themes are likely commissions. I am happy to work within subject constraints, as long as I think the subject can be accommodated within my style.

What to expect ongoing:

I will do my very best to not be boring. My intent is to share some recurring thoughts that bounce around my head related, but not limited to, art. It's also important to me that anyone drawn to my work knows that I am, in fact, a human artist. Until about six months ago, this would have been a ridiculous statement, but considering where we are and the saturation of computer-generated - well, everything, I think its critical to emphasize the value-add of being human. There is no escaping the AI conversation, and I intend to share more of my thoughts on AI art in another post. For now, it's important only that I state emphatically that my work, from its initial pen and paper concept to the final wax, is born of my mind and physical work alone. The only physical process I do not do in my shop is laser or waterjet cutting. The size of my parts and the precision with which they must be cut makes it cost-prohibitive to maintain the required machines. Maybe someday, but for now I leave that task to the professionals.

I hope to post with some consistent cadence, but that will depend on my availability and whether I feel like what I have to say is interesting enough to take up your time. I'll be running blind for the first few posts, I'm sure. If you've taken the time to get through this, thank you again for your interest.

​-K.L.