Jess Kellner (b. 1994) is an American painter whose work explores vulnerability, emotional presence, and the fragile balance between surrender and control. Drawing from a background in acting and film, Kellner approaches painting through the lens of performance, translating cinematic structure, timing, and gesture into painterly form. Each composition unfolds like a suspended frame from a larger narrative, inviting viewers to imagine what came before and what might follow.
Kellner’s figures often exist in moments of pause—caught between motion and stillness, presence and retreat. These states of suspension heighten a sense of intimacy and uncertainty, positioning the viewer as both witness and participant. Rather than presenting overt drama, his paintings dwell in subtle emotional shifts, where posture, gaze, and atmosphere carry psychological weight.
Working with soft gradients, diffused light, and a restrained, gestural touch, Kellner creates scenes that feel both cinematic and deeply personal. His surfaces are carefully modulated, allowing form to emerge gradually and emotion to linger rather than declare itself. This quiet visual language encourages a slower mode of looking, resisting immediacy in favor of reflection.
Through this meditative approach, Kellner investigates how emotion, instinct, and memory shape our understanding of ourselves and others. His paintings offer moments of stillness within an increasingly distracted world—spaces where feeling precedes interpretation and where vulnerability becomes a site of connection rather than exposure.