Kelcey Loomer
Born in 1978, Kelcey Loomer is an emerging painter based in Asheville’s vibrant River Arts District. Working primarily with oil paints, Kelcey’s deeply narrative works explore themes of memory, belonging, and the solace of nature.

Her profound love of the natural world was formed in her rural New Hampshire childhood. Back then Kelcey found a sense of home in the forest behind her house. She grew up without a tv and spent most of her time immersed in books and in the woods —a dual refuge that continues to influence the themes of her paintings today.

Kelcey’s process is intuitive and highly textured. Through a unique sense of color and an instinctual layering technique, they create depth using scraffito—scratching and drawing into the painted surface to reveal underlying colors. This layered approach not only echoes the complexity of their personal stories but also invites viewers to explore hidden layers within their work, much like unearthing forgotten memories.

Having grown up in a family of artists, with a potter mother and poet father, Kelcey’s creative life has been nurtured since childhood. Her studies at Warren Wilson College, where she earned a degree in integrated studies with a focus on “sense of place,” continues to inform her art today. The concept of place, both physical and emotional, is at the heart of her work—exploring solitude, longing, and the comfort of finding home in nature and imagination.

Kelcey’s commitment to painting became a full-time pursuit after the passing of her father in 2018. In 2024, she was accepted into London’s Royal Drawing School’s online drawing year program, which will culminate in November, adding further depth to her artistic practice.

Kelcey’s studio in Asheville serves as both a working space and a place of direct connection with collectors and art lovers, offering a personal window into her world of visual storytelling.