

About the Artist

Artist Statement
I'm a landscape lover pulling inspiration from regional areas and nature for my creative choices; translating the beauty and atmospheric feeling of these places into marks, color, and texture that often result in dramatic shapes, gestural lines, and visual tension.
Though I use reference photos that I’ve taken from my travels for inspiration in the studio, I don't always focus on creating a loose rendition of a photo. Sometimes I will instead deconstruct the image in a very abstract way and infuse my painting with the feeling or ‘mood’ of these places, creating a comforting familiarity or nostalgia for viewers who have also visited and escaped to these iconic destinations.
Most of my travels take me to two regions that couldn’t be more opposite: the SoCal desert and the Hawaiian tropics. Aside from their differences, they have one alluring thing in common: time has a way of standing still and you find yourself getting lost in your surroundings. It’s that feeling of being away on vacation—relaxing, wandering, exploring, indulging—that I enjoy “bottling up” into my work.
– Kristen Guest

Artist Bio
Kristen Guest is an award-winning and published full-time artist and art instructor in San Diego, California. She graduated from art school at Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in Art Education, that focused on painting, book arts and printmaking, and has been teaching realism painting since 2004 and abstract painting since 2018.
Currently, Kristen is the Resident Artist at Bernardo Winery in San Diego, where her studio is located, and she is a Mentoring Artist and the Director of Education at Art on 30th, an arts community in San Diego's North Park historic arts district. She is a member of the Oceanside Museum of Art's Artist Alliance and Woman Made Gallery in Chicago. Her work is represented through Ashton Gallery in San Diego and Janssen Artspace in Palm Springs, and has been displayed on exhibit with The Athenaeum Arts & Music Library in California, Huntington Beach Art Center in California, Port Angeles Fine Arts Center in Washington, Jen Tough Gallery on Artsy.com, Saatchi's The Other Art Fair Online Studios Los Angeles, and Guest House Staging in San Diego.
Artist CV
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Education
2016–2017
M.F.A. graduate work
Media Design
Full Sail University
Winter Park, FL
2000–2007
Bachelor's of Science
Art Education
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, TN -
Representation
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA
Janssen Artspace
Palm Springs, CA
Guest House Staging
San Diego, CA
Artist Memberships:- Oceanside Museum of Art
- Woman Made Gallery
- Blue Line Arts
Online Galleries:- Saatchi Art
- Artfinder
- Fine Art America
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Publications
"Blackout" National Exhibition
by Ashton Gallery
Published 2023
"Hi Ho Silver" National Exhibitionby Ashton Gallery
Published 2021
"Abstract Painting: For Today's Abstract Artists"by Kate Ashton
Published 2019
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Solo Exhibitions
2023
"The Golden Land"
Borrego Art Institute
Borrego Springs, CA
"Works by Kristen Guest"
Oasis Institute (RB)
San Diego, CA
"Java Jitters"
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA
2021Resident Artist Showcase
Bernardo Winery's Tasting Room
San Diego, CA
2019"Pedals for the People" A Benefit for San Diego Bicycle Coalition
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA -
Group Exhibitions & Awards
2023
3rd Annual Blackout Nat'l Show
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA
Utopia
Janssen Artspace
Palm Springs, CA
Autumn Glory
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA
Viva Magenta
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA
All Mixed Up
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA
Juror's Choice Award
A World of Its Own
Jen Tough Gallery, Artsy.com
Beach Party
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA
Gallery's Choice Award
5th Color Int'l Art Competition
Teravarna
Los Angeles, CA
Honorable Mention Award
4 Square
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA
The Space in Between
Jen Tough Gallery, Artsy.com
Righteous Red
Ashton Gallery, San Diego, CA
2022Lush
Jen Tough Gallery, Artsy.com
7th Abstract Int'l Art Competition
Teravarna
Los Angeles, CA
Finalist Award
Off the Easel
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA
1st Place
6th Abstract Int'l Juried Art Competition
Teravarna
Los Angeles, CA
Talent Prize Award
Summer
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA
Solidarity
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA
2021Hi Ho Silver Nat'l Show
Ashton Gallery, San Diego, CA
Off the Easel
Ashton Gallery, San Diego, CA
Summertime
Ashton Gallery, San Diego, CA
Honorable Mention
Celebration
Ashton Gallery, San Diego, CA
Honorable Mention
Full Circle
Ashton Gallery, San Diego, CA
Honorable Mention
Tuxedo
Ashton Gallery, San Diego, CA
#Obsessed
Ashton Gallery, San Diego, CA
2020Multiplicity National Show
Jen Tough Gallery
Wintergreen
Ashton Gallery, San Diego, CA
Small Works Nat'l Show
Jen Tough Gallery
Surf City Arts Fest
Huntington Beach Art Center
Huntington Beach, CA
Inspired Member Annual Show
Huntington Beach Art Center
Huntington Beach, CA
Natural Worlds Nat'l Show
Jen Tough Gallery
Flora & Fauna Nat'l Show
Jen Tough Gallery
Staff Picks - Curatorial Staff International Feature
Artfinder.com
Quarantine Aquamarine
Ashton Gallery, San Diego, CA
Hand Selected for The Other Art Fair's Los Angeles Online Studios
SaatchiArt.com
Artist of the Month - Curatorial Staff InternationalFeature
Artfinder.com
The Many Faces of Red
Ashton Gallery, San Diego, CA
Centered on the Center
Huntington Beach Art Center
Huntington Beach, CA
Ones to Watch 2020 - Curatorial Staff International Feature
Artfinder.com
2019The Power of Small Things National Show
Port Angeles Fine Arts Center
Port Angeles, WA
75 & Sunny
Ashton Gallery, San Diego, CA
First Place
28th Annual Juried Exhibition
Athenaeum Art Center
La Jolla, CA
Double Trouble
Ashton Gallery, San Diego, CA
Juror's Choice
Monthly Curatorial Staff International Feature
SaatchiArt.com
Creamsicle
Ashton Gallery, San Diego, CA
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Experience
2017–Present
Art on 30th
Mentor & Director of Education
2017–2018The Art Stash
Art Instructor
2016–2017
Lessons.com
Private Art Instructor
2014–2015
Inspire SD Studio
Art Instructor
2009–2010
Military Spouses of San Diego
Art Coordinator & Art Instructor
2008–2010
Paper Source
Retail Assistant & Art Instructor
2007
Smyrna High School
Interim Art Instructor
2004–2006
The Art House
Resident Artist & Art Instructor
Studio News
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