the strengh Collage

Hey There, I’m Kiki Castel, a Modern Surreal Collagist, a Gallery Director, and Creative Retail Operations Specialist - that's a lot, I know! But, sometimes we have to do many things to support our creative endeavors. It's been a lot of work, but I'm grateful to have found a way to persist that works for me and allows me to empower other emerging artists. Before my venture into a life in the creative arts, I worked for nearly a decade as the Regional Manager of Visual Display at one of Paris's most innovative Toy Companies. I’ve been lucky enough to travel outside of France throughout my life and have spent 3 years living in Turkey, as well as 2 in California. I recently moved back to the U.S. 6 years ago and currently reside in the place on the planet where I feel most at home, Los Angeles.   I’ve found myself completely devoted to surrealism. Some people are committed to this sect of art for its’ escapist properties. For me, surrealism is actually a way to express a richer, more complex, and truthful depiction of reality. It speaks to what lingers below the surface of every day, tapping into the more subconscious elements of experience and unlocking the powers of the unyielding imagination.   As a creator, the majority of my work has substantive meaning behind it. The intentions propelling the art are always subjectively received, resulting in a myriad of interpretations contingent upon each individual’s engagement with and relationship with the work.  My collages are often infused with symbolic aspects, linking them to life around me and the constant motion that accompanies it, aiming to express that inspiration has the capacity to be present everywhere and in everything.   Creating art within surrealism has proven to be a profoundly therapeutic process. It lends itself as an avenue for me to most accurately and authentically disclose what is underneath the soul. The act of collage has been revelatory on a personal level, illuminating me from the inside out. I’m so grateful for the people who follow me and allow me to share this light with them. I hope you enjoy my work as much as I enjoy creating it and sharing it with you.