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Carylon Killebrew

Carylon Killebrew was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1948. She moved with her family to Nashville, Tennessee at an early age and received her first art instruction at Middle Tennessee State University. After attending college, Killebrew took an extended absence from creating Art to raise a family and then to focus on bringing physical fitness to the unreached population in Chattanooga, Tennessee for which she received the Governor’s award for physical fitness. Thereafter, Carylon resumed her visual art career initially as a printmaker, employing a theme of repeated patterns, yet producing surprising variations of images through subtractive and “light field” applications of ink. Often she would accentuate the print by applying paint with oil sticks. Because of the size limitation of the press bed, Killebrew transitioned to canvas and board, producing larger and bolder images.

Characterized by many as a colorist, she has expanded her subject matter to include interior landscapes and situational figurative studies. Carylon’s desire is to make art that is pure, simply honest and unadorned- art that is an extension of her faith in a creative God who is fully known through Christ. Her aim is not to glorify the painted work but to glorify the Creator and call attention to His goodness. Consequently, the viewer sees a style that is not elaborate or busy, but one that is a simple, bold, fulfilling, honest physical creation.