Meet the Artist
Artist Statement
I'm a landscape lover pulling inspiration from my favorite vacation destinations 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.
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.
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. Often, I will instead deconstruct the image in a very abstract way and infuse my work with the feeling or ‘mood’ of these places.
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. Kristen currently works in three mediums: acrylic, oil, and pencil.
Kristen lives in North Poway near Rancho Bernardo and Escondido, where she works out of her home studio and shares Studio 6 at Art on 30th, an art center in the North Park district of San Diego, where she showcases and sells her work locally. Art on 30th is also where she is a Mentoring Artist and the Director of Education. Kristen recently became a Teaching Artist for R&F Paints and shares her love and knowledge of their Pigment Stick product line.
Her work is currently represented through Ashton Gallery in San Diego CA and Janssen Artspace in Palm Springs CA, and has been on exhibit with Sandstone Gallery in Laguna Beach CA, Borrego Art Institute in Borrego Springs CA, The Athenaeum Arts & Music Library in La Jolla CA, Huntington Beach Art Center in Huntington Beach CA, Port Angeles Fine Arts Center in Port Angeles WA, Woman Made Gallery in Chicago, IL, Jen Tough Gallery on Artsy, and Saatchi's The Other Art Fair Online Studios Los Angeles.
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
4434 30th Street
San Diego, CA
Janssen Artspace
255 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way
Palm Springs, CA
Online: Saatchi -
Publications
Blackout National Exhibition
by Ashton Gallery
Published 2023
Hi Ho Silver National Exhibitionby Ashton Gallery
Published 2021
Abstract Painting: For Today's Abstract Artistsby Kate Ashton
Published 2019
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Solo Exhibitions
2024
Cocktails + Cabanas
Sandstone Contemporary Gallery
Laguna Beach, CA
Palm Trees
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA
2023The Golden Land
Borrego Art Institute
Borrego Springs, CA
Island Time
Oasis Institute
San Diego, CA
Java Jitters
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA
2021Resident Artist Showcase
Bernardo Winery's Tasting Room
San Diego, CA
2019Pedals for the People: A Benefit for San Diego Bicycle Coalition
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA -
Group Exhibitions & Awards
2024
Small Wonder
Janssen Artspace
Palm Springs, CA
Ultramarine
Janssen Artspace
Palm Springs, CA
Out of the Blue
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA
Gallery's Choice Award
Barnyard
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA
Double Vision
Janssen Artspace
Palm Springs, CA
Confetti
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA
Kaleidoscope
Janssen Artspace
Palm Springs, CA
Fresh
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA
Retrospect for Modernism Week
Janssen Artspace
Palm Springs, CA
Red Hot
Ashton Gallery
San Diego, CA
2023Small Wonder
Janssen Artspace
Palm Springs, CA
Small Works Members’ Show
Woman Made Gallery
Chicago, IL
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 FeatureSaatchiArt.com
Creamsicle
Ashton Gallery, San Diego, CA
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Experience
2024–Present
R&F Paints
Teaching Artist
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
Book Arts Workshop Instructor
2007
Smyrna High School
Interim Art Instructor
2004–2006
The Art House
Resident Artist & Art Instructor