Kristen Grundy (b.1981) is an American punk rocker, dark art creator, and fantasy / surrealism conceptual photographer whose works bravely call for us to look into where most may not want to: the essence of survival through the struggles that exists in the depths of our complex psyches, and personal stories.
Kristen's initial curiosity into art started through the imaginative poring of her father’s record covers, and then into her own collection of records. She later performed in her own bands (Dead Society, Dead Empty, Guns on the Run). At 14, she obtained a camera and started taking on street and documentary-style photos, capturing punk shows / bands and eventually learning darkroom printing, and years later composite techniques and digital photography in the Academy of Art University, CA.
Entering into the realm of digital art allowed for a much deeper storytelling through elaborate character-and-set productions, giving Kristen an auteur-level quality of individual style and personal stamp of uniqueness in each of her fantastic, visionary photos. The difficult themes that her work evokes are pulsing expressions stemming from her own long-term traumatic relationship abuse under an extreme abuser - the struggles of entrapment, fear, isolation and oppression, to the dreams and glimmer of self-awareness, resilience, and recovery.
Kristen is inspired by Tim Burton, Jerry Uelsmann, Man Ray, MC Escher, Joshua Hoffine, and Nick Blinko. She has just moved to live a quiet and productive life in Austin, Texas with her complimentary art partner Dave Glass - together they formed DAWN 11:11, providing freelance illustration, design and photography services.
Education:
Academy of Art University – San Francisco, CA – Bachelor of Fine Arts, 2013
Daytona State College – Daytona Beach, FL – Associate of Science (Photography), 2001
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2023 - UMA Gallery, "Comfortably Numb," Oakland, CA. US.
2022 - Fallout SF, "Off with Their Heads”, San Francisco, CA. US.
2022 - Fallout SF, "Fallout Opening Exhibit”, San Francisco, CA. US.
2022 - SugarMynt Gallery, “Folie á Deux”, South Pasadena, CA, US.
2019 - 63 Bluxome Street Gallery, “DAWN 11:11 Collective Exhibit”, San Francisco, CA, US.
2019 - Martha, “DAWN 11:11 Collective Installation”, Philadelphia, PA, US.
2014 - Armory Studios, “Happy Hour”, San Francisco, CA, US.
2013 - Palace of Fine Arts, “Academy of Art Spring Show”, San Francisco, CA, US.
2012 - The Cannery, “Academy of Art Spring Show”, San Francisco, CA, US.
2011 - 63 Bluxome Street Gallery, “Affordable Christmas Art Show”, San Francisco, CA, US.
2011 - Academy of Art University, “Academy of Art Spring Show”, San Francisco, CA, US.
Public Collections:
Fallout SF, San Francisco, CA. USA. 2022 - Present.
Publications and Media:
"Stories & Insights." Canvas Rebel. November 2022.
"Destroy Everything Fanzine - Cut, Paste, & Destroy." Destroy Art Inc. Issue 2. December 2021.
"Destroy Everything Fanzine." Destroy Art Inc. Issue 1. July 2021.
"Plebeian Podcast." Episode 18. Dawn 11:11 Collective. April 2020.
"Feature Friday." Plebeian Magazine. March 2020.
"Green." Numinous Magazine. Issue 22. March 2019.