About


Katie Grinell (b.1999) is a fine artist. She was born in Indiana and raised in Illinois, USA. Grinell’s work explores memory through abstraction by investigating the relationship between darkroom photography, image capturing, and painting. Invested in the relationship between fine art and craft, the use of objects such as flowers, crochet, sequins, and family textiles connect her reality and abstract work. Her work has analyzed memory, Feminism, Jewish art and identity, and the influences of the internet. She received her BFA in New Studio Practice (Fine Art), with art history and arts management minors from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. She is currently pursuing her master's degree in studio art at Florida State University. 

Artist Statement 

My work explores personal and familial memories through abstraction by investigating the relationships between fine art, craft, and technology. The inspiration for my work is using personal and found objects as vessels to connect to my background, shared experiences, and topics. My work has analyzed memory, Feminism, Jewish art and identity, and the influences of the internet. Through darkroom photography, painting, animation, and collage, I use crochet, sequins, and textiles to connect my experiences and abstract work. Using objects, often handmade, from women in my family and my own objects as the source material, I create new narratives inspired by their means of working, embroidery, stitching, and use of fabric. Regularly seen are recycled and transformed artifacts, gestures, and imagery from previous pieces because the life cycle of my work is not definitive and continues as material. Growing up surrounded by familial heirlooms such as crochet tablecloths and quilts and my artistic interest in digital aesthetics propels my research. It offers a means to examine, sometimes critically, associations and similarities with technology and textiles.