artist's bio...

AprylRae was born in Catlettsburg, Kentucky in 1973, and even to this day the echoes of rural Appalachian art find their way into all of her pieces. From an early age she was surrounded by grandparents and great-grandparents who decided to put her energy to good use; and before long she found herself learning the hand crafting culture of Eastern Kentucky in order to keep her hands busy. Although the artistic media have grown with time, the underlying energy and emotion have remained the same and AprylRae loosely defines herself as an Expressionist with a chiaroscuro style and a love of intense contrast. Her art was first publicly displayed in 1980, from there she won recognition from the Kentucky Dept of Education, and The Governor's School for the Arts then eventually drew the cover of the Boyd Co Literary Magazine in the early 90's.
While in college AprylRae grew to delight in the play of contrast between tradition and new and began producing familiar Appalachian style art with a new flavor. Her pottery became more ethereal while remaining functional, her paintings dropped photorealism in favor of intensifying haunting emotional undertones, and many of her sculpted dolls began sporting Gothic and beatnik attire. A love of movement and intensity is apparent in all of AprylRae's work, especially in the pieces where she is struggling to capture a sense of stillness that proves ever elusive. This struggle is further conveyed in the eyes of her subjects.

When asked about art AprylRae had this to say, "I love it. I love how art doesn't need words, how it makes the world smaller by reminding us that deep down past everything else we're all the same. Hopes and fears and dreams don't need to be translated."