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Welcome to My Art
I’m a self-taught mixed-media artist using charcoal, graphite and acrylic to explore shame, silence and survival.
My work is rooted in personal truth and wider questions:
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Who told us how to behave?
What happens when we stop listening?
Where do we land when we listen to ourselves?
Unapologetic Afro
Acrylic on paper, 210 mm x 297 mm, 2024
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Part of a series that shows beauty in different forms. Large curly hair has been one of the hot topics within the workplace, the media and the education system. This piece places the shining large hair taking up most of the image, and the stunning woman holding it unapologetically.
Black Determination
Charcoal on paper, 297 mm x 420 mm, 2021
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Through piercing eyes, Nelson Mandela shows us what true courage and determination look like. After reading his book, "Long Walk to Freedom", I was inspired to dedicate time to creating a piece to represent his commitment.
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After Broken
Mixed media on paper, 297 mm x 420 mm, 2024
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An experimental piece mixing media (print, charcoal, oil pastels, acrylic paint and markers) to express disruption, taking without permission and vulnerability.
Bold Skin
Acrylic on paper, 297 mm x 420 mm, 2024
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Part of a series that shows beauty in different forms. Vitiligo is a rare condition that is largely rejected, especially within the Black community. James McLeod, featured, is an influencer who uses his lived experience to raise awareness and empower others to overcome their insecurities.
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Pink Lady
Oil pastels on paper, 210 mm x 297 mm, 2024
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An experimental piece showing the weight of internal activity.
Knotted Kin
Graphite on paper, 297 mm x 420 mm, 2020
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Capturing the intensity of life choices, neglect, pain and loss.
Billie Cool
Charcoal on paper, 420 mm x 594 mm, 2021
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A piece created for International Women's Day 2022, as part of an exhibition held at Westfield Stratford City. "The perfect body" is still a thing, and usually means slim, pale skin, wide hips and a nipped waist. Here we see a curvy woman allow her rolls to be seen.
Self Portrait - Water
Graphite on paper, 297 mm x 420 mm, 2022
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A work-in-progress piece of me enjoying the winter sun in Gambia, carefree, wrongly assuming the circumstances to last forever.
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Aged Auricle
Oil Pastels, 220 mm x 235 mm, 2020
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A study of an elderly white man's ear.
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Orange Essence
Graphite on paper, 297 mm x 420 mm, 2020
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The orange is a reflection of her light and tenderness.
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Defying Norms
Oil Pastel on paper, 210 mm x 297 mm, 2024
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Miss Tracee Ellis Ross has forever been an inspiration to me through her authenticity, transparency and boldness in showing up as her whole self - artist, activist, actress and comedian. This piece uses a range of colours to show her vibrancy and shine.
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Physique
Charcoal on paper, 297 mm x 420 mm, 2024
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A study of the Black male physique.
Custom Work
I take on a limited number of commissioned pieces throughout the year. Whether it’s a portrait, a symbolic piece or a visual interpretation of your own story, I’d love to create something personal and powerful for you.
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I typically work in charcoal, graphite and acrylic. Pieces can be created on paper or canvas, and we’ll discuss style, tone and any text or themes you’d like included.
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Interested in commissioning a custom piece? Let’s create something meaningful together.
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Email me at krystle@krystlemcgilvery.com or DM @krystle_artist to get started.
Why I Make Art
I'm a self-taught mixed-media artist whose work explores the intersection of trauma, identity, silence and voice. Raised in a religious environment as a Jehovah's Witness until the age of 11, and the politics that came with it, my practice is deeply influenced by themes of repression, survival and the reclamation of space and power. My background as a neurodivergent finance expert brings a structured, analytical edge to deeply emotive and conceptual work.
My primary mediums include charcoal, graphite and acrylic, which I use to reflect the tension between clarity and chaos.
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I exhibited four works in my first group show on International Women’s Day at Westfield Stratford City and am now developing my debut solo series, "The Good Girl Doctrine".
Ongoing Work: The Good Girl Doctrine
I am deepening my current body of work, "The Good Girl Doctrine". Through charcoal, graphite and acrylic, I explore the five-part arc of indoctrination, rupture, silence, unlearning and redefinition.
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This series is informed by my own lived experience, but resonates across broader social and cultural contexts of womanhood, religion, culture and trauma. My goal is to create a cohesive series that could lead to a debut solo show and open dialogue around shame, healing and voice.