Koehler Artist Statement

Strong, untamed reactions influence my process as I navigate themes of loss, discovery, and destruction. My vibrant Mixed Media works embrace themes of queerness, catastrophe, and resilience. These pieces blend text, images, and found materials to explore existential ponderings and the connections. The resolution of these works reflect the cumulation of daily frustrations with an unrelenting sense of optimism: a silver lining. The ratio of these elements vary. Results may provide an altruistic atmosphere, unapologetic existence, and/or tragic devastation. Brushstrokes form a solidified focus and loose abstraction of colors. This concoction invents the base for my whimsical labyrinth of hidden add-ons. My practice acts as a lyrical ritual navigating dynamics regarding personal and societal roles, and the results are a complementary effort to women’s and non-binary liberation. Throughout my collection, I use a mixture of figurative, flora, and fauna to reflect an ever-changing world and the impacts of its inhabitants. Through these struggles I find comfort in exposing myself, and provide a safe space for viewers to do the same.