About

Kelly Rendek is a visual artist currently based in Ottawa, Ontario, and a graduate of the Master in Fine Arts program at the University of Ottawa. Her current work is centred on exploring the concept of home as a sense of personal territory that one carries with oneself—a collection of memories and habits that define our relationship to place. In recent projects, her painting practice has expanded to include multidisciplinary installations that explore shape and colour in immersive spaces.

Rendek also holds a BFA from Concordia University, an MA in Mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin, and a BA from McGill University. After a professional career as an actuary, and several years consulting for international development organizations, she switched focus to pursue her artistic practice on a full-time basis. She has participated in a number of group exhibitions in Canada and was selected as a finalist in the 2019/2020 Salt Spring Island National Art Prize competition (Salt Spring Island, BC). During her MFA studies, Rendek received a 2022 Canada Graduate (SSHRC) Scholarship and the 2023 Penny Cousineau-Levine Award for outstanding thesis support paper.