Meet Alex Coffey, Exhibitions Intern
My name is Alex Coffey and I was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina. I’m currently attending the Kansas City Art Institute and will graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting in 2025. My work combines fiber handicrafts (specifically weaving) and painting; I’m interested in analog and digital processes. Growing up in Greenville, a rich arts and crafts scene surrounded me, and this exposure emphasized the importance of the hand in my creative practice. I have worked as the Gallery and Social Media Supervisor for the Lester Goldman Gallery at the Kansas City Art Institute and I am now in my second semester of interning at Studios Inc.
I look to my matriarchal line as a source of inspiration to connect to my work which utilizes craft to explore my identity as a transwoman. For me, threads are tools to create larger images, and building upon their structures helps me to develop my practice. My weaving patterns can be used as barriers, shielding the viewer and the subject, as well as highlighting sections of the work. My work comprises accumulated layers, each working with the other to abstract the self. By manipulating my image, I can redefine my identity through craft and the impact on femininity throughout history. This extends across my practice, especially where the mark-making language of weaving is a primary source for the development of painted imagery. Everything moves in tandem in the studio, where the work becomes responsive to each other. My identity becomes directly situated in this act of making, where I place myself in the role of creator and subject.
I find that the acceptance and variety of the arts community in Kansas City is one of the most engaging places for an emerging artist. The people here embrace art so warmly, with a multitude of spaces for studios and galleries. The arts know no end and continue to expand. I enjoy knowing that I can go to a gallery like Vulpes Bastille and regularly see student work being exhibited. It’s nice to have a space that continuously works to display young artists who are just starting their careers. Opportunities like Charlotte Street are also a great way to connect young artists to a larger scene outside of schooling. The complex varieties of working in all disciplines create a unique space for collaboration and artistic commitment.
After school, I’m looking to attend residences and explore opportunities at places like the Penland School for Crafts. I hope to take this time to grow my practice before pursuing a Master of Fine Arts.
