The Particle Series
“…particle by particle she slowly changes….” (Tori Amos)
The Particle Series is a collection of mixed media artworks by visual artist Kendra Kett about the power of healing and recovery after loss, betrayal, abuse, and grief. It is for anyone who has ever been so sad that they did not think they could survive it.
“Using abstraction and color theory my art attempts to visually communicate that sadness can be overcome and that healing is available to us every day — in the mundane, in symbols we see around us, and in everyday colors surrounding us. Healing begins and occurs in our very molecules & cells — and in our heartbeats.”
The Particle Series implies that healing doesn't always happen in huge leaps and bounds – but more so cell by cell, particle by particle – within us. We slowly evolve, we slowly heal…breath by breath, day by day, one cell at a time…
The shapes in my art are my imaginative visual ideas of what our cells, molecules, and their interactions look like as we encounter the hard work of healing while we simultaneously enter new states of renewal and aliveness that place us on a now different path.
My art is also about experiencing conflicting emotions, sometimes within a single moment — this is a concept our culture-at-large wants us to reject. Many pieces address the co-existence within us of sadness & happiness, anger & compassion, despair & accomplishment, love & loneliness.
All of the art is available for purchase — If you are interested in any of the pieces, please send an inquiry to kendra@thebluemoongallery.com for more information.
“Color is a power which directly influences the soul.” — Wassily Kandinsky
All the Light at the End by Kendra Kett
Watercolor pencils, colored pencils, paint pens, ink on watercolor paper
9 x 12
Color Meanings
Yellow: joy, happiness, the light that brings us energy and warmth
Pink: healing, love, friendship, caring
Red: love, passion, strength, energy, intensity
Blue: tranquility, peace, calm, truth, and water which cleanses us
Turquoise: calm, overall healing
Orange: enthusiasm, strength, vibrancy, courage
Purple: spirituality, transformation, wisdom, awakening, higher ground
Green: new growth, new beginnings, new journeys
White: purity, starting over, a blank slate, simplicity
Black: the void where everything begins and goes from there
Silver: reflection, hope, kindness, tenderness
Gold: the highest ideals, understanding, enlightenment
Symbolism & Themes
The dot. If you think about it, all things begin with a dot. Everthing. No matter what it is. So, the dot symbolizes origins and beginnings. Since everything has a beginning, the dot also references unity.
The circle. Because it has no end point, the circle represents infinity, timelessness, eternity, and all cyclic movement. It also represents wholeness, completeness, totality, and protection since it has no broken lines.
The circle within a circle, a dot within a circle. Concentric circles represent processes, systems, and interrelationships. The circled dot is an ancient symbol that represents consciousness and self-awareness.
The mandala. The word mandala loosely translates to circle and symbolizes unity, eternity, wholeness, and perfection.
Ribbons. Often depicted as elongated, sweeping, yellow strips or simple flowing black lines, these undulating ribbons stand for connectedness and support bringing structure to the composition as well as providing emotional content.
Gold & silver chains. Usually encircling an entire composition, these gold and silver chains of dots-within-circles symbolize protection and guardianship.
Gold threads & filled-in cracks. Inspired by the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery, called Kintsugi, by mending the areas of breakage with lacquer mixed with powdered gold or silver. Kintsugi treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise.
The blanket. A universal symbol for warmth, healing, comfort, and nurturance. Other meanings: protection, security, calm.
The cell, the particle. The site of all activity, growth, and change. The tiniest space of spiritual and physical transformation and yet so grand, immense, and life-altering. My versions of the “cell” are imagined, fictional representations.
The heart. Where everything about us exists. Our thoughts, feelings, ideas, wounds, scars, dreams. Our soul and spirit and animation lives in there. I believe we have two hearts: an inner heart and an outer heart.
Points of light. You CAN see in the dark. Light is brighter there. Everything that must grow & come to fruition starts out in the dark.
Portals, Voids, Black Holes. A space to return to when starting over.
Kendra Kett
“…particle by particle she slowly changes…” from “Concertina” — a song by Tori Amos
My art is not about straight lines and neither is my story!!
Check out the Member Highlight story about me written by Katrina Smolinsky at The Art Center of Highland Park.
Find out how I went from CORPORATE EXECUTIVE to ARTIST here!
About the artist.
Kendra has 30 years of highly successful performance in the Business sector working with and supporting Fortune 500 companies across the United States with work/life solutions for their employees. She is an award-winning leader, businesswoman, creator, and mentor with a proven record of success and innovation in Operations, Marketing, and Sales, including communications & customer service, social media, press relations, collateral development, and finance.
She is a recognized Operations Expert & Entrepreneurial Visionary winning national recognition in customer relations, program development, diversity, community involvement, and business growth.
She is one of only 6 winners of the prestigious Jim Greenman Lifetime Achievement Award for child advocacy.
Kendra is a first generation daughter born to immigrant parents from Great Britain. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and her Master’s degree in Education both from distinguished programs at the University of Illinois.
She is the author and illustrator of a women’s self-help book and is a frequent public speaker and trainer. She is also active in her community with various charitable endeavors and projects.
Kendra is self-taught as an artist and has been drawing, writing, and making things since she was two-years-old. She has been a life-long creative writer and student of symbols.
She has surrounded herself with beautiful art and design since early childhood when she and her older sister-in-law started visiting The Art Institute of Chicago on numerous annual family outings.
She has been an avid art collector for more than three decades and has extensively visited museums, galleries, sculpture installations, and architecture across the United States and Europe.
Kendra has been working in the art industry for five years and owns the Blue Moon Gallery, located in Grayslake IL, where she has an established reputation for excellence, professionalism, service, and innovation.
Curriculum Vitae | Visual Art
2025
Bridgeport Art Center Chicago (January-February) — Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists Annual Members Show — “Primordial Monolith: Heat Map” Jurors: Helen Dannelly, Curator, Forshey Gallery & Monica J. Brown, Curator, 4th Presbyterian Church Gallery
Adler Arts Center Libertyville IL (January-February) — Annual Member Exhibition
Robert T Wright Gallery of Art at the College of Lake County Grayslake IL (January-February) — Annual Member Exhibition
The Art Center of Highland Park Highland Park IL (December-January) — InView Annual Member Exhibition
2024
ALMA Art & Interiors Chicago (November 2024-January 2025) — The Contemporary Art Exhibition — A Juried Collaboration with the Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists — “Primordial Monoliths 1,2,3” — Jurors: Kim Oliva & Goshia Korsakowski, ALMA Gallerists
AIR Gallery Glencoe IL (October-November) — Chicago Women’s Caucus for Art (CWCA) Full Circle Juried Exhibition — “Cellular Optic Aurora” and “Cell Block 6” + 2 more
Beloit Art Center Beloit WI (October) Wisconsin Regional Art Program (WRAP) Regional Exhibition — “Love is a Golden Thread of Lightning” and “The Presence of Absence”
Robert T Wright Gallery of Art at the College of Lake County Grayslake IL (October) — Recent Works Juried Exhibition — Artists of Lake, Cook & McHenry Counties in IL — “Auric Vibration” — Juror: Trevor Power
NorthShore Art League Winnetka IL (August-September) — Chicago Alliance of Visual Arts Annual Member Exhibition — “Cell Block 9”
State of Illinois Art Exhibition — Are You Really Winning? Statewide Public Art Competition for Problem Gambling Awareness — “Broken Heart Cell Begins to Heal” selected for presentation in Carbondale (June/July), the Illinois State Fair in Springfield (August), and the University of Illinois’s campus in Champaign (September through December).
Brushwood Center Riverwoods IL (June-August) — Metamorphosis: Emerging from the Darkness Juried Exhibition — 2 pieces — Juror: Julia Kemerer, Director of Arts & Administration, Brushwood Center
Elmhurst Art Guild at the Elmhurst Art Museum Elmhurst IL (June-July) — Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists Later Impressions Annual Juried Exhibition — “Floral Language of Cellular Healing” — Jurors: John Nester, Adjunct Instructor, Elmhurst University & Marci Ruben, Curator, Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago
Addison Center for the Arts Addison IL (February-March) — Expressions: Art + Verse 2024 — A Juried Collaboration with the Illinois Poets Society — “Love Into the Ether”
Zhou B Arts Center Chicago (January-March) — Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists Juried Winter Exhibition — “Love is like a Golden Thread of Lightening” — Juror: Nicole Murray, Owner/Curator, The Kulture Museum, Chicago
Adler Arts Center Libertyville IL (January-March) — Annual Member Exhibition
Robert T Wright Gallery of Art at the College of Lake County Grayslake IL (January-February) — Annual Member Exhibition
2023
Robert T Wright Gallery of Art at the College of Lake County Grayslake IL (October) — Recent Works Juried Exhibition — Artists of Lake, Cook & McHenry Counties in IL — “When Grief Turns to Gold” — Juror: Diane Gabriel
Koehnline Museum of Art | Oakton College Des Plaines IL (October) — 15th Annual International Women’s Juried Exhibition “Don’t “Drag” Me Down: Today’s Battle for Liberation” — “Cellular Memories Roe v. Wade” — Juror: Lindsey Hewitt, Professor of Anthropology & Humanities and Coordinator, Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies Program, Oakton College
Bridgeport Art Center Chicago (September) — Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists Annual Members Exhibition — “Cellular Healing Blanket: Water & Light”
William Rainey Harper College Art Gallery Palatine IL (September/October) — 45th Annual National Juried Small Works Exhibition — “All the Light at the End” — Juror: Laura Burkhalter, Senior Curator, Des Moines Art Center
Beloit Art Center Beloit WI (August) — Featured Artist — 15 pieces
Epiphany Center for the Arts Chicago (July/August) — Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists The Happiness Show Juried Exhibition — “Cellular Optic Aurora” — Juror: Nancy VanKanegan, Interdiscipliary Artist & Educator
Brushwood Center Riverwoods IL (June-August) Health, Equity, Nature Juried Art Exhibiition — 3 pieces. Juror: Julia Kemerer, Director of Arts & Administration, Brushwood Center
Blue Moon Gallery Grayslake IL (February-March) — Featured Artist: The Particle Series — 25 pieces. Collective Artist (March-December)
Dwell Studio Chicago (February) — Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists Inspired Stories Juried Exhibition — “Healing Blanket: Cellular Memories of Your Voice in the Thunder” — Juror: Jeanne Long, Executive Director, Chicago Collections
Woman Made Gallery Chicago (January-February) — Roe 2.0 Juried Exhibition (Virtual) — “Cellular Memories of Roe v. Wade”
Robert T Wright Gallery of Art at the College of Lake County Grayslake IL (January-February) — Annual Member Exhibition
Adler Arts Center Libertyville IL (January-February) — Annual Member Exhibition — “Parallel Universes for You & Me”
The Art Center of Highland Park Highland Park IL (January) — InView Annual Member Exhibition — “Cellular Path of Forgiveness”
2022
Anderson Arts Center Kenosha WI (November 2022-January 2023) — Annual Winter Juried Exhibition — “Cellular Memories: Regeneration” (SOLD) — Juror: Colin Mathes, Gallery Director, University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Robert T Wright Gallery of Art at the College of Lake County Grayslake IL (October) — Recent Works Juried Exhibition — Artists of Lake, Cook & McHenry Counties in IL — “Cellular Path of Forgiveness” — Juror: Lee Stanton, McHenry County College Art Faculty
Evanston Art Center Evanston IL (October) — Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists Later Impressions Annual Juried Exhibition — “All the Light at the End” — Jurors: Anne Loucks, Gallerist & Margaret Buchen, Art Curator & Adjunct Faculty, Art & Design, Harper College
Koehnline Gallery of Art at the Oakton Community College Des Plaines IL (October) — Annual International Juried Women’s Show — Our Bodies, Our Health: Navigating the Wars within and Around Us — “Flow: An Ode to Four Decades of Menstruation” — Juror: Lindsey Hewitt, Professor of Anthropology & Humanities and Coordinator, Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies Program, Oakton College
Berger Park / Gunder Mansion Cultural Center Chicago IL (September) — Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists Annual Members Exhibition — “Parallel Universes for You and Me”
Lake County Youth Conservation Corps Annual Art Auction Libertyville IL (September ) — “Twin Hearts”
Art Impact Project Annual Art Auction Lake Bluff IL (September) -- “Entanglements”
The Art Center of Highland Park Highland Park IL (August) -- Voices & Visions: Standing on the Bridge Between Health and Disease Juried Exhibition – “Return to the Void”
Robert T Wright Gallery of Art at the College of Lake County Grayslake IL — 2022 Annual Members Exhibition — “Aloe Healing Blanket” (SOLD) | College of Lake County Permanent Collection Purchase Award
2021
Art Impact Project Annual Art Auction Lake Bluff IL —- “Getting Comfortable with the Uncomfortable” (SOLD)
The Red Oak Restaurant Bristol WI — (June-Sept) Featured Artist — 7 Works from “The Particle Series” + “Cellular Flower” (SOLD)
Blue Moon Gallery Grayslake IL — (December) We Make Life Beautiful Group Exhibition — “Seeing What Is”
2020
Art Impact Project Annual Art Auction Lake Bluff IL — “The Colors of Spinning” (SOLD)
4Art Space Gallery Chicago IL — 3rd Annual Three-Month Small Works Salon Exhibition — Art Diaries: Nature of Reality Group Show —3 pieces — Juror: Robin Rios, 4Art Space Gallery Owner
Koehnline Gallery of Art at the Oakton Community College Des PIaines IL — Annual Juried International Women’s Show (On-Line) | Where Are We Now? Activism of the Everyday — “Mother & Son COVID Cocoon”
Blue Moon Gallery Grayslake IL — What Do You Want to Say? Annual Group Exhibition — “The Integration of Grief”
2019
4Art Space Gallery Chicago — 2nd Annual Three-Month Small Works Salon Exhibition: Art Diaries: The Passion Show | Group Exhibition — “Passion” | “Seeing What Is” | “Metamorphosis” — Juror: Robin Rios, 4Art Space Gallery Owner
4Art Space Gallery Chicago — The Raven Small Works Group Exhibition — “Birth of a Raven” “Eye of a Raven” | “Flight of a Raven” (all SOLD) — Juror: Robin Rios, 4Art Space Gallery Owner
2018
Koehnline Gallery of Art at the Oakton Community College Des Plaines IL — Annual International Women’s Show | Nevertheless She Persisted: Women of Courage, Tenacity, and Strength — “MeToo Tattoo”
Art Impact Project Annual Art Auction Lake Bluff IL — “Trees are Medicine II” (SOLD)
2017
Urban Edge Gallery Waukegan IL — On the Edge Takeover | Art Squared Group Exhibition | A 48x48 Challenge — “Hanging by a Thread #MeToo”
MEMBERSHIPS & GALLERY AFFILIATIONS
Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists
The Art Center of Highland Park, Highland Park IL
Robert T Wright Gallery of Art, College of Lake County, Grayslake IL
Adler Arts Center, Libertyville IL
Beloit Art Center, Beloit WI
Blue Moon Gallery, Grayslake IL
Chicago Women’s Caucus for Art
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Blue Moon Fine Art Gallery -- Owner, Director & Curator -- Grayslake IL — 2019-present
Illinois Watercolor Society Juror of Awards – Annual Member Exhibition — September 2024
LaGrange Art Guild Juror of Awards – Annual Member Exhibition — July 2024
Addison Art Guild Juror of Awards – Annual Member Exhibition — April 2024
Chicago Pastel Painters Juror of Selections – Annual Member Exhibition — July 2022
Robert T Wright Gallery of Art at the College of Lake County Juror of Awards -- Annual Student Exhibition 2021 – Grayslake IL
Artist Alley -- Director of Exhibitions, Marketing & Sales -- Libertyville IL Summers — 2018-2019
Dandelion Gallery – Social Media Manager & Event Volunteer -- Waukegan IL — 2017-2018
PUBLICATIONS
2024
The Miserere National On-Line Art Periodical, Inaugural Editions (September, October) — “Primordial Monolith: Embers”
2023
Don’t Drag Me Down: The Battle for Liberation Exhibition Catalog (Koehnline Museum of Art)
45th National Small Works Exhibition Catalog (Harper College)
Nature & Equity: A Lake County Research Study (Brushwood Center) + Exhibition Poster
2022 & prior
Our Bodies, Our Health Exhibition Catalog (Koehnline Museum of Art)
Where Are We Now? Everyday Activism Exhibition Catalog (Koehnline Museum of Art)
Nevertheless She Persisted Exhibition Catalog (Koehnline Museum of Art)
A Visual Encyclopedia: A Global Visual Interpretation of Words | The Canvas Art Project Exhibition Catalog (Brooklyn Art Library)
Sold Artwork | See the slideshow below.
Private Collections: IL, TX, WI, MI, FL, TN, MN, CA, NM, NC, CO, CT, MA
Permanent Collections: College of Lake County, Grayslake IL
