In this episode of I Love Your Stories, Hava Gurevich talks with experimental biologist and artist Kelly Durante about a life shaped by both science and creativity.

Kelly shares how a single paint pouring workshop became a pivotal moment in her artistic journey, eventually leading her to develop her own techniques for bringing greater control and precision to an inherently unpredictable medium. With a background in biology, anthropology, and psychology, and decades spent working with cultured cells, she brings a scientist’s curiosity and experimental mindset into her creative process.

Hava and Kelly talk about the similarities between art and science, where the two disciplines diverge, and the balance between order and chaos that runs through Kelly’s work. They also explore the role of experimentation, intuition, pattern, and the natural world, and what it means to move comfortably between two seemingly different ways of understanding the world.

In this episode:

• Kelly’s journey from childhood creativity to biology  
• How vascular-cell research influences the way she sees the world  
• The workshop that transformed her artistic practice  
• How acrylic pouring creates cell-like patterns  
• Finding a balance between chaos and control  
• Why creativity is essential to scientific discovery  
• Sacred geometry, circles and patterns found in nature  
• Creating without fear of failure  
• Teaching others and witnessing their joy  
• How Kelly defines success today  

CONNECT WITH KELLY
Personal website: https://www.kellyduranteart.com/
The Columbia Art League Artist Village : https://columbiaartleague.org/village/durante-kelly
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellydurante/
Scientific research: Search “Kelly Payton” on Google Scholar  

ABOUT THE PODCAST

I Love Your Stories: Conversations with Artists & Creatives is hosted by artist Hava Gurevich. Each episode explores the experiences, creative practices and personal stories that shape artists and their work.

If you enjoyed this conversation, please like the video, leave a comment and subscribe for more inspiring conversations with artists and creatives.

SPONSOR

This episode is sponsored and produced by Art Storefronts. Learn more at https://www.artstorefronts.com/

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