About the artist

Mckenna Van Koppen — a Brooklyn based artist.

 

Mckenna’s paintings begin with freedom of organic movement; listening to music on big-ass, noise-canceling headphones, she lets her body lead the adventure, seek out and discover where brush connects with canvas. This free-flowing technique, chased by colorful detailing, manifests in brushstrokes and marks which pair abstraction with the tight contours of realism.

 

The joy, freedom, and wildness of her innovative and exploratory process permeate her work and reflect back to the viewer a sense of curiosity, fearlessness, daring, and beauty.

 

Growing up in Santa Barbara, California, Mckenna was always painting, drawing, and exploring. You could either find her on the floor with markers and crayons or outside befriending local wildlife. 

 

As her life turned to academics, she incorporated her artistic drive into her education. In middle school, she won the Crane School Art Award, in High School she became an integral member of the Visual Art and Design Academy, and finally she rounded out her educational career by attending the University of Hawaii, where she received her BA in Art. 

 

She currently works out of Brooklyn, New York, inspired every day by the bustling city and the never ending inspiration of art shows and museums. When in need of escape and newness she travels the world, where she can always find the unexpected:

 

“I am inspired by literally everything around me. I am walking outside and I see a color palette on a butterfly or flowers — I will use those colors in my art. I am a strong believer in whatever we consume becomes who we are. So I think everything, including the music I listen to and the books I am reading all flows into my art. I get a huge amount of inspiration from going to other artists’ shows, walking around New York and looking at street art. I am also deeply inspired by travel, nature, and wild animals.”

 

Mckenna has a long term goal and vision of partnering with wildlife organizations aiding in the protection and repopulation of endangered species. She wants to create work that will not only inspire people to connect with nature but also encourage them to take real-world actions that might help with the survival of animals and the environment.

 

“I want my art to give people a deeper connection to the wild, natural world around us. I want it to evoke freedom and a sense of wonder.”