The Iconic Portraits Of Artist Carrie Kilgore

Realist painter Carrie Kilgore is a nationally and internationally collected visual artist based in St. Petersburg, Florida. She specializes in creating large-scale oil portraits of other iconic artists that have positively impacted her life and studio practice. Frida Kahlo, Yayoi Kusama, Keith Richards and Lady Gaga are just a few of the artists that Carrie has painted. Her goal is to capture the essence of the individual.

Artist Carrie Kilgore with her painting of ‘Lady Gaga’, Oil on Canvas, 4 x 5 ft

The artist lives and works in Saint Petersburg, Florida. She graduated with a BFA from Ohio University in 2014, with a focus in Painting and Drawing. Her signature oil portraits were influenced by Kehinde Wiley and Chuck Close. “I always start a painting with the eyes. Once they’re sunken into the canvas, you immediately begin to see and understand that person for who they are. And then I build out from there, and start piecing the face together. It’s a beautiful process to watch as a person comes to life on canvas.”

Carrie Kilgore, ‘Chuck Close’, Oil on Canvas, 4 x 4 ft

Carrie’s portrait paintings reflect the admiration she has for other artists. Her current body of work, ICONS, incorporates a new style, a transformation, from Carrie’s earlier works. She combines traditional portraiture with a contemporary twist. As each artist has a unique way of influencing Carrie, she assembles his or her face together in a unique way that best captures the spirit and character of that particular individual. The work is visually rich and meaningful, with vibrant color and playfulness.

Carrie Kilgore, ‘Out of Reach’, Oil on Canvas, 4 x 4 ft

"The best part about being an artist is the ability to create a connection with others through my work. I love talking with collectors and supporters about my process, ideas and techniques. I’ve been creating art since I was in elementary school, and I was fortunate that my high school art teacher and my parents encouraged me to go to art school. I studied painting and drawing at Ohio University, and that’s where I picked up portrait painting. Up until that time, I didn’t know how to paint a realistic eye or how to paint lips. But everything just started making sense to me and I’ve been painting faces ever since then," explained Carrie.

Carrie Kilgore, ‘Yayoi Kusama’, Oil on Canvas, 4 x 4 ft, (SOLD)

Artist Carrie Kilgore has exhibited her work at notable art fairs and galleries within the United States, and has held numerous art shows and exhibitions selling her signature portraits nationally and internationally. To learn more about this fascinating artist, for sales, commissions, general inquires or future show information, email CKilgoreart@gmail.com and visit https://www.carrievsmith.com/. The artist also offers limited edition prints and art merchandise, click here to view prints, tote bags, greeting cards, coffee cups and more.