who?
Justin Kane Elder's multidisciplinary practice has tested many fields and genres. Initially using the familiarity of the face as a bridge to share his creative process. Driven by a simple directive to spread joy and inspire others with the knowledge that he has acquired. He creates color dense works that use relatability and obscurity in unison to capture accidental intentionality. His work is a celebration of inspiration and deep meaning, a timeline of experimentation and adaptation. Working in a state of perpetual motion, constantly reinventing and refining both thought and technique, his work continues to shift through the years yet holds the message of joy as a constant.
Elder is a graduate of Cornish College of the Arts. He has exhibited across the United States and Canada. Showing at a variety of galleries, museums, art fairs, festivals, events, and conferences. Elder spent several years as a commercial artist working with small locally owned businesses and major corporations such as Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, and many more, to inject artwork and culture into their workplace. Exploring ways to push art through non-traditional exposure. He has designed restaurants, pop-up events, public artworks, traveling art shows, event spaces, snowboards, skateboards, and various other products. His work has been featured on local and national TV, advertising campaigns, reality TV, viral videos, numerous magazines, restaurants, lectures, sporting goods, apparel, and much more.
He now resides in Hawaii. Utilizing his expansive range of experience to push the boundaries of his practice. While constantly exploring a wide format of platforms from commissioned works, new art series, written works, creative consultation, interior design, performance art, public speaking, and whatever sparks his curiosity. Currently, he is developing an array of projects; a new body of large-scale oil paintings, a trilogy of books, three-dimensional portraits, and more to be revealed in the coming future.
why?
It is uncanny how my artistic practice has fluctuated throughout my life. Initially, in my career, I considered myself to be just a portrait artist, which is funny because that was only one facet of many. Yes, there is a large body of portraits, but time has taught me that creativity has no limitations. This was a difficult lesson filled with many hardships and victories—each one adding to the scope of what was achievable. Now nearly 30 years later, it is apparent my work will only continue to diversify.
One commonality that is present throughout all of the work is intentionality. Everything I've created has undergone a rigorous and exhaustive contemplation process. Even pieces that appear to be loose and spontaneous have gone through hours of intense thought and consideration. Sometimes months or even years are spent researching and experimenting before a piece comes to life. This stems from my primary directive, a core tenet that I follow, not just in art but in life—a source principle that is simple and part of everyone's base DNA, discovery.
Just as those before me, I seek understanding. It is an age-old quest, one that humanity will forever follow. The timeless questions: What? Why? When? How? Who? All of these queries have driven us to where we are now. They continue to push my creative exploration serving as a renewable resource that stokes the furnace of my findings. The search that will never cease, an unending evolution that has seen many phases and changes. Initially, I started my career thinking only as a painter, until later understanding that painting was just one dialect of a larger language. Now, after years of experimentation and seeking, I have become multilingual, unafraid to use new mediums that speak the vocabulary of discovery.
Thank you for visiting and engaging with my work. I look forward to sharing the numerous projects unveiled in the coming years. Some will be familiar; with paintings, sculptures, murals, design, and digital artworks. Others will be unexpected; novels, videos, music, philosophy, ceramics, and other mysteries yet to be revealed. Culminating in a body of work that showcases how anyone can achieve what they put their mind to, because I am no different than anyone else. I am just a human, simple in nature yet complex in being, looking only to understand the world around me better.
-Everyone finds what they're looking for.
jke
curriculum vitae
Justin Kane Elder
2002, BFA with an emphasis on painting and sculpture | Cornish College of the Arts
Solo exhibitions:
2023, Lightscapes | Stone Way Auto, Seattle, Washington, US
2023-2010, Portraits | Revel, Seattle, Washington, US
2019, 9Teen | 9th & Thomas, Seattle, Washington, US
2016, 6Teen | White Walls Gallery, San Francisco, California, US
2015, nineteen85 | Axis Gallery, Seattle, Washington, US
2014, Mixed | Gauntlet Gallery, San Francisco, California, US
2014, Nature | Axis Gallery, Seattle, Washington, US
2013, Mixed | Skillet, Ballard, Seattle, Washington, US
2012, Portraits | Cafe Medina, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
2011, Portraits | Othercoast cafe, Seattle, Washington, US
2011, Manimal | Evo, Seattle, Washington, US
2011, Portraits | Johnston Architects, Seattle, Washington, US
2011, Portraits | Cafe Fiore, Seattle, Washington, US
2011, Animals | Hi-life, Seattle, Washington, US
2011, People | Skillet, Capital Hill, Seattle, Washington, US
2011, Portraits | Cafe Medina, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
2010, Manimal | Gainsbourg lounge, Seattle, Washington, US
2010, Manimal | Bherd Gallery, Seattle, Washington, US
2009, Humans | Cupcake Royale, Madrona, Seattle, Washington, US
2009, Humans | Cupcake Royale, Capital Hill, Seattle, Washington, US
2009, Humans | Cupcake Royale, Ballard, Seattle, Washington, US
2009, Humans | Cupcake Royale, West Seattle, Seattle, Washington, US
2009, Icons | Deli Clothing Boutique, Downtown, Seattle, Washington, US
Group exhibitions:
2023, Lab Test 002 | 9th & Thomas, Seattle, Washington, US
2023, One Foot Forward | Martin & MacArthur, Wailea, HI, US
2018, Summer Dreams | Winston Wachter, Seattle, Washington, US
2017, Trump show | Bonfire Gallery, Seattle, Washington, US
2017, Stack | The Vatican, Studio E Gallery, Seattle, Washington, US
2017, Future Machine | The Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, Washington, US
2017, Wolf Temple | Out of Site art fair, Seattle, Washington, US
2016, Star Wars Show | White Walls Gallery, San Francisco, California, US
2015, Portraits | LA Art show, Gauntlet Gallery, Los Angeles, California, US
2015, Family Portrait | Heiner Residence, Port Ludlow, Washington, US
2014, Humans | Gauntlet Gallery, San Francisco, California, US
2014, Portraits | Scope art fair, Gauntlet Gallery, Miami, Florida, US
2014, B.O.D 4 | Piranha Shop, Seattle, Washington, US
2014, B.O.D 4 | Nemo Design, Portland, Oregon, US
2014, B.O.D 4 | Gauntlet Gallery, San Francisco, California, US
2014, B.O.D 4 | AR4T Gallery, Laguna Beach, California, US
2013, B.O.D 3 | Nemo Design, Portland, Oregon, US
2013, B.O.D 3 | Piranha Shop, Seattle, Washington, US
2013, B.O.D 3 | The Holding Company, Los Angeles, California US
2012, Tanks and Helmets | Neumos, Seattle, Washington, US
2012, America | AR4T Gallery, Laguna Beach, California, US
2011, Portraits | Bherd Gallery, Seattle, Washington, US
2011, Good Omens | 619 Building, Seattle, Washington, US
2010, Piranha show | Piranha Shop, Seattle, Washington, US
2010, American Nature | Piranha Shop, Seattle, Washington, US
2009, Icons | Deli Clothing Boutique, Pioneer Square, Seattle, Washington, US
Commissions:
2023, Lightscapes | Stone Way Auto, Seattle, Washington, US
2023, Stone-cage | Stone Way Auto, Seattle, Washington, US
2023, Flowers Connect Mural | Stone Way Auto, Seattle, Washington, US
2020, Together We Stand Mural | Cedar Speedster, Seattle, Washington, US
2018, Art Series | Zillow Headquarters, Seattle, Washington, US
2018, Dress Up | The Oculus, World Trade Center, New York, New York, US
2018, Interior installations | T-mobile Headquarters, Bellevue, Washington, US
2018, Installation series | East Trading Company, Seattle, Washington, US
2018, Temple | The Dynasty Room, Seattle, Washington, US
2018, Wolf Temple Mural | Winston Wachter Gallery, Seattle, Washington, US
2018, Hard Drive | Dell Computers, Round Rock, Texas, US
2017, Boxes | Amazon, Troy Block, Seattle, Washington, US
2017, Treehouse | IDS festival, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
2017, Steph Curry | Under armor, Baltimore, Maryland, US
2017, Fountains | Yonge Dundas Square, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2017, Rocketman | Oasis, Seattle, Washington, US
2016, Waterfall | Vancouver Aquarium, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
2016, Barrels | Alki Beach, Seattle, Washington, US
2016, Basquiat | Creative Live Headquarters, San Francisco, California,US
2016, Vortex | IDS festival, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
2016, Soundwave | Facebook Headquarters, Seattle, Washington, US
2016, Target | Amazon, Troy Block, Seattle, Washington, US
2016, Viral Video | Seattle Seahawks, Seattle, Washington, US
2015, Container | Sellen Construction, Seattle, Washington, US
2015, Series | Queen West Animal Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2015, Yurt | REI flagship store, Seattle, Washington,US
2015, Voyage | Carlile Room, Seattle, Washington, US
2014, Turbodream Snowboard | K2 Snowboards, Seattle, Washington, US
2014, Craig Kelly mural | Burton Cabin, Baldface Lodge, Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
2014, Installation series | Trove, Seattle, Washington, US
2014, Bakery | Evo Headquarters, Portland, Oregon, US
2014, Series | Via 6, Seattle, Washington, US
2013, Boat | Westward, Seattle, Washington, US
2013, Trailer | Skillet, Ballard, Seattle, Washington, US
2013, Elevators | Greenfire Campus, Seattle, Washington, US
2013, Sign | Russell's Tavern, Seattle, Washington, US
2013, Murals | Evo Properties, Seattle, Washington, US
2013, Turbodream Snowboard | K2 Snowboards, Seattle, Washington, US
2012, Timeline | Evo Headquarters, Seattle, Washington, US
2012, Josh | Eltana, Fremont, Seattle, Washington, US
2012, Jewelry sign | Joule, Seattle, Washington, US
2010, Crossword | Eltana, Capital Hill, Seattle, Washington, US
Collections:
​
2017, Future Machine | The Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, Washington, US
2015, Bear | The Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington, US
2015, Ram | Earls Restaurant Group, Denver, Colorado, US
2014, Tiger | The Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington, US
2007, Portrait of a House | The Richard and Elizebeth Hedreen collection, Seattle, Washington
​
Bibliography:
2018, Guest Speaker | Spotify Creative Workshop, Santa Barbra, California, US
2017, Future Machine discussions I | The Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, Washington, US
2017, Future Machine discussions II | The Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, Washington, US
2017, Future Machine discussions III | The Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, Washington, US
2017, Future Machine discussions IV | The Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, Washington, US
2017, Future Machine discussions V | The Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, Washington, US
2017, Creative Mornings | Georgetown, Seattle, Washington, US
2017, S.E.D.G Lecture | Seattle Convention Center, Seattle, Washington, US
2017, Discussion panel | IDS festival, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
2016, Design Rebels | Gray Magazine #29, Seattle, Washington, US
2016, Discussion panel | IDS festival, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
2016, Basquiat video | Creative Live Headquarters, San Francisco, California,US
2015, Beautiful Explosion | City Arts Magazine, Seattle, Washington, US
2014, Good Life | Gray Magazine #40, Seattle, Washington, US
2014, Art Zone | Art Zone, episode 6/6/14, Seattle, Washington, US
2014, Hot New Next | Gray Magazine #19, Seattle, Washington, US
2011, Live Painting | Evo 10year Anniversary party, Seattle, Washington, US
2008, Family Portrait | Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Kingston, Washington, US
2002, BFA Show | Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle, Washington, US