Credit: "Transitionary" by Kelli Cooper

From the Dark Side of Whimsy: Kelli Cooper

Northwest

When

May 7–30, 2026

Days vary, Times vary

Free

Where

imperfecta gallery

809 NW Flanders St
Portland, OR 97209

The following description was submitted by the event organizer.

The Imperfecta Gallery is excited to present From the Dark Side of Whimsy, a show featuring New Mexico artist Kelli Cooper.

The show explores the uneasy space where playfulness and discomfort intersect, using painting, sculpture, and illustrated ceramics as interconnected forms of storytelling. As the artist explains: “I’m drawn to imagery that feels familiar at first glance—varied palettes, exaggerated forms, and character-like figures—but slowly reveals something more ambiguous and unsettling. Each medium allows me to approach this tension differently: painting creates atmospheric, dreamlike spaces; sculpture brings those forms into the physical world; and illustrated ceramics ground them in objects that feel both intimate and functional, yet slightly off-kilter.”

Across this body of work, Keppi Cooper is interested in how humor and darkness can coexist within a single visual language — there is an ongoing dialogue between innocence and awareness, where whimsy acts as both a disguise and a doorway into more complex emotional terrain. By shifting between two-dimensional and three-dimensional forms, Cooper builds a layered experience that invites viewers to move closer, look longer, and question their initial impressions. Ultimately, these pieces aim to hold space for contradiction — where the playful becomes uneasy, the familiar becomes strange, and beauty emerges through the tension between them.

The show debuts on May 7, with an Opening Reception from 5 to 8 p.m.

Born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Kelli Cooper holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of New Mexico and currently resides in Albuquerque. Her mixed media artwork has always been process-oriented and experimental. Kelli’s work typically falls under Figurative Expressionism and has been described as unselfconscious, relatable, and delightfully dark and twisted. Kelli’s art has a whimsical style and a poignant voice; she draws the viewer in by connecting through relatable characters and shared emotional experiences. Kelli has participated in many gallery shows and is a member of the Albuquerque Art Business Association, a member of Ghostwolf Gallery in Albuquerque, and is represented exclusively in Denver by Pop Gallery. She has numerous collectors all over the United States and abroad.