Kelly D. Pelka
Chicago, IL
773-301-5424
Instagram: kelly_pelka_art
Work:
-Artwork by Kelly D. Pelka, Artist
-432 Open Studio Artist Exhibition Series
-Right-Brained Studio, Chicago, Illinois Owner/Youth Art Mentor
-Re-Girl Apparel and Accessories, Founder/Co-Owner with Graciela Llorente/Fashion Designer
Education:
1999 University of Illinois at Chicago-BFA Secondary Art Education
1994 Northern Illinois University-BFA Visual Communications
Additional Studies:
2019 Portland Community College-Ceramic Studies with Ivan Carmona
2005 Taos Institute of Arts-Polaroid Transfer Study
1997 Triton Collage-World Cultures Mural with Mario Castillo
1995 Parsons New School for Social Research-Summer Intensive Studies Program
Exhibitions/Events/Publications:
2024
The Artist Lofts, Chicago IL- “coming home…” 2 Person Show w/Kelly Thompson- April 13th
Monira Foundation, Chicago IL-“Presently” Group Show- April 13th-May 27th
The Fulton Street Collective, Chicago IL- Isaiah Collier Quartet and Solo Live Art Performance- May 22nd
Gallery 1619, Chicago, IL- “now or never…” Solo Show- June 28th-July 12th
432 Open Studio, Mana Contemporary, Chicago IL- “people are good…” Solo Show- August 17th
Open House Chicago, Mana Contemporary, Chicago IL- “stray…” Solo Show- October 19th
FotoMercado, Chicago Art Department, Chicago IL – Group Show, Curator Oscar Arriola- November 11th
Critical Habitat Vol. TWO: Temporary, Bend Press, Photo Book Publication- November
432 Open Studio, Mana Contemporary, Chicago IL- “it’s your birthday…” Two Person Show w/Mindy Fisher- November 23rd
2023
Atomic Sketch Event, Green Eye Lounge, Chicago IL- Panelist- July
The Koehnline Museum of Art, Desplaines IL- “Don’t’ Drag Me Down: Today’s Battle for Liberation”, International Juried Exhibition on woman, non-binary or queer communities Group Show- October 5th-November 3rd
FotoMercado, Chicago Art Department, Chicago IL- Group Show, Curator Oscar Arriola- November 11th
Critical Habitat Vol. One: Reflections, Bend Press, Photo Book Publication- November
Critical Habitat: Collaboration, Bend Press, Photo Book Publication with Andy Jenkins- November
2022
UMA LANDSLEDS- ‘ALWAYS, NOW’ Exclusive Collection for UMA LANDSLEDS Pro Skate Rider Maité Steenhoudt
Thrasher Magazine- September Issue, 2-page spread
Mess Skate Mag- September Issue, 2-page spread
BG Gallery, Santa Monica CA- “Too Much Fun” Group Show, Curator Kate Stern- September-October
2021
Museo Interactivo de la Musica Malaga (MIMMA) Malaga Spain- “Past, Present, Future” UMA Artist Collective Museum Exhibition for MOMENTS Festival
2020
Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) Portland OR- Juror for BFA Juried Exhibition- April
Woman Made Gallery, Chicago IL- “Process and Material” Group Show, Curator Yoonshin Park- August
2019
Portland Street Art Alliance, Portland OR- 2 Murals at Taylor Electric- February and July
Fitting Room Gallery, Portland OR- “better left unsaid…” Solo Show- February
Maven, Portland OR- 2 Person Show w/Coco Coou- February-March
Toyota Gallery, Beaverton OR- Group Show- April-June
Portland Chiropractor, Portland OR- “on the outside looking in…” Solo Show- April
2018
Fitting Room Gallery, Portland OR- “memories…” Solo Show- March
City Home, Portland OR- “from…” Solo Show for Art in The Pearl- June
True Measure Gallery, Portland OR- “Dinosaur” Group Show- June
Private Company, Pearl District Portland OR- Solo Installation- June-September
Good Foot, Portland OR- “The Tools of the Trade” Group Show- October
Wayward Arts Center, Chicago IL- “Structures” Group Show- November
2017
PDX ART JAM, Portland OR- Hosted a weekly panel of artists for public viewing- 2017-2020
True Measure Gallery, Portland OR- “The Friendliest Group Show” Group Show- December
Sideshow Gallery, Chicago IL- “Resistance is Not Futile” Group Show-March
Garland Court Review, Harold Washington College, Chicago, IL- Book Cover Design- May
Sidewinder Gallery, Chicago IL- “3 Person Pop Up Show- October
Wynward Miami FL- “Happy Holidays Show” Group Show- November 26th
2016
Street Style Blackbook, NYC NY- Street Art and Graffiti Publication by Leanna Valente-2 page spread- Spring Issue
Flat Iron Arts Building, First Fridays, Chicago IL- August 6th
Atomic Sketch Event, Green Eye Lounge, Chicago IL- Panelist- November
Side Show Gallery, Chicago IL- Group Show- December
2015
Mayne Stage Theater, Chicago IL- “I don’t know where I’m going, but I know where I’ll end up…” Solo Show- March-April
Atomic Sketch Event, Green Eye Lounge, Chicago, I Panelist- May 30th
The Pilsen Art House, Chicago IL- “All of Me” Group Show- June 12th
Genesis, Chicago, IL- “Obscure” 3 Person Show- July 11th-23rd
Side Show Gallery, Chicago IL- “Dog Days” Group Show- September 18th
2222 Jefferson, St. Louis MO- First Fridays and Open Studios- October 2nd and 3rd
Cultura in Pilsen, Chicago IL- “Pink Line Dreams”, Group Show- October 10th-November 1st
2014
(Edits in progress)
2013
Green Eye, Chicago IL-Solo Show “i might help you or i might let you down”/Atomic Sketch Event-January 31st
Atomic Sketch Event at Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, Chicago IL-Panelist- March 16th
Transition Art Series, Chicago IL- Group Show- April-June
Spex, Art + Vision, Chicago IL- Solo Show- June-July
Delilah’s, Chicago IL- 20th Anniversary Group Show- August 29th
Mad Art Gallery, St Louis MO-3 Person Show- August-September
Royal Flesh Tattoo, Chicago IL- Skull Junkies Group Show- August-October
2012
Atomic Sketch Event, Green Eye, Chicago IL- Group Show- January 26th-March 31st
Flat Iron Artists Association, “Now You See It”, Chicago, IL-Group Show/ Mural- February 6th-March 4th
Right-Brained Studio, Oak Park, IL-Group Show-September 1st –November 30th
The Birdhouse Museum of Bridgeport, Chicago, IL-Cardboard Art Group Show-December 15th
K9-4 Keeps, Chicago, IL-Group Show “Mutts and mARTinis”-December 8th
Hive Gallery, Los Angeles, CA-Group Show-November
Little Village Art Walk, Chicago, IL-Group Show-November
Atomic Sketch Event, Green Eye, Chicago, IL-Panelist-October 25th
2011
Right-Brained Studio, Oak Park, IL-Group Show-August 1st-September 30th
MOCCA Festival, New York City, Museum and Comic and Cartoon Art, Exhibitor-April 9th-10th
Launch Pad Gallery, Portland, OR-, “Love Show” Group Show-February-March
Flat Iron Artists Association, “Now You See It”, Chicago, IL-Group Show/ Mural-February 4th
2010
Atomic Sketch Event, Evil Olive, Chicago, IL-Panelist-December
DIY Trunk Show, Chicago, IL-Group Show-December
Clever Crafters, Lenny and Me, Chicago, IL-Group Show-December
Delilah’s, Chicago, IL- “Holiday Show” Group Show-December 2010-February 2011
Rockwell Crossing, Chicago, IL-Group Show-October
Beyond The Coyote, Chicago, IL-Group Show-September 10th-12th
Launch Pad Gallery, Portland, OR-, “Love Show” Group Show-February-March
New Wave Café, Chicago, IL-“Mondays at New Wave” Group Show-January 4th-31st
2009
Atomic Sketch Event, Evil Olive, Chicago, IL-Panelist, 12 Days of X-mas T-shirt design -December 17th
Café Wha Who?, Chicago, IL-“Start Your Own Fires” Group Show-December 5th
Rotofugi, Chicago, IL-“My Kinda Town” Group Show-September 25th-October 11th
smARTshow (Flat Iron Artists Association), Chicago IL- Group Show- September
Art on Harrison, Oak Park IL- Group Show-September 11th-13th
Fly Bird, Oak Park IL-“10 in 10” Mural- October
Atomic Sketch Event 1 Year Anniversary, Evil Olive, Chicago IL- Panelist- July
Atomic Sketch Event, Evil Olive, Chicago IL- Panelist- May
Gilda’s (Flat Iron Building) Benefit show for Cancer Research, Chicago, IL- Group Show-April
Launch Pad Gallery, Portland OR-, “Love Show” Group Show- February-March
2008
Delilah’s, Chicago, IL- “Holiday Show” Group Show-December 2008-February 2009
The Gallery, Atlanta, GA-“Bedtime Stories” Group Show- December 6th-20th
smARTshow (Flat Iron Artists Association), Chicago IL- Group Show- December
Delilah’s, Chicago, IL- Art Nerd Free Trade Show Art Swap/Organizer- October
Around the Coyote Fall Arts Festival, Chicago IL- Group Show- September
Ipsento Café, Chicago IL-“Girl-Rated” 3 Person Show/Curator- August 15th-October 18th
Defenders of the Earth –Benefit show for Connections for Abused Women and Children-August
The Light Gallery, Costa Mesa, CA-“The Art of Digging” Group show-June
smARTshow (Flat Iron Artists Association), Chicago IL- Group show- June
Montana Gallery and Shop Oak Park IL-“The Box Show” Group Show- April-June
The Nerve Gallery, Oak Park IL-“I Draw Pictures…” Group Show- June-August
Blueline Studio, Chicago IL-, “Chic Art” Group Show-March
Ipsento Café, Chicago, IL-“Big Liar” Solo Show- January-March
2007
Around the Coyote Fall Arts Festival, Chicago, IL-Group Show-September
DVA Gallery, Chicago, Illinois-“My Kinda Town” Group Show-September
Delilah’s, Chicago, IL-“I Think I’m Paranoid!” Solo Show-August-October
Bebop Café, Chicago, IL-“Infidels”, Group Show-June
Standing Wave Bodyworks, Oak Park, IL-3 Person Show-May
Swim Café, Chicago, IL-“Girls, Girls, Girls”, 2 Person Show-April-June
Black Beetle, Chicago, IL-Art Nerd Free Trade Show Art Swap/Organizer-March
Around the Coyote Winter Arts Festival, Chicago, IL-Group Show-February
Bloomingdale Mural Project, Chicago, IL
2006
Delilah’s, Chicago, IL- “Holiday Show “Group Show-December2006-February 2007
Mexican Fine Art Museum, Chicago, IL-, Contra Tiempo Fundraiser, Group show-December
The Gallery Cabaret, Chicago, IL-“What Side of the Fence Are You On?” Solo Show-November
Around the Coyote Fall Arts Festival, Chicago, IL-Group show-September
Beyond Boundaries (Chicago Artists’ Month) Oak Park Art League- Group Show/Curator-October
Around the Coyote Winter Arts Festival, Chicago, IL-Group Show-February
Estrogen Fest, Chicago, IL-Group Show-May
The Gallery Cabaret, Chicago, IL-“Uncommon”, Group show-January
1986-2005 Please Inquire