About the Artist
Exhibition History
Solo Exhibitions:
Works Fest "Groundworks" 40th Anniversary , 'Fungus on Flannel', 2025, Stanley A Milner Library
Roots on Whyte " Bark & Beaks", 2025 July-August
Group Exhibitions:
Gallery 501 "Journeys and Transitions"
Felice Café, 2025
Night Of Artists, ‘Luminous’, 2024
Planted Tank, 2024-2025
Anvil Café, 2024-2025
Concordia, February 2025
Bleeding Hearts Gallery, February 2025,
Night Of Artists, ‘Into the Wild’, 2025
Upcoming:
Enbridge Centre, 'Other residents', 2025, November - January (Solo)
Otto, October-November
Collection Contributions:
University of Alberta, E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum, 2023-2025 (2 Pieces in permanent Collection)
Publication History
Illustration/Writing/Revisions
Kent, K., J. Pinzon, & H. Proctor. (2023). A beginner-friendly key to the families of spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) known from the Canadian Prairie Provinces
Illustration/Revisions
Pinzon, J., K. Kent & R. Bennett (2022) First record of Pholcus opilionoides (Schrank, 1781)
Pinzon, J., K. Kent, D. J. Buckle & R. Bennett (2022) Redescription of Robertus arcticus (Chamberlin & Ivie 1947) (Araneae: Theridiidae), with the first description of the female.
In Review
Impact of edge type, and pitfall trap modification on spider diversity retention in central Albertan agroecosystems, K. Kent., B. Mori., J. Pinzon, Expected 2025
“Lots of Lovely Legs” Illustrated Spider Children’s book, first ed. completed 2015, revising painted illustrations
Organization and Associations
Exhibiting Member of Federation of Canadian Artists, 2025
Member of Alberta Entomological Society, 2019 - ongoing
Gallery 501 Member
Artist Biography
Kirra (She/They) has vacillated between art and science since early childhood, and in the last four years, she has finally embraced smashing them together. They have both a Bachelor’s degree (2022) and a Master of Science (2024) from the University of Alberta, as well as a prior diploma of animation from VanArts (2014). Their artistic skills supported their initial admission into university. Despite the outward presentation of a strictly science-focused decade since animation school, illustration has been a key component of her three current scientific publications and a digital anti-arachnophobia book.
In parallel with their academic career, they have used most of their free time to experiment with the limits of fine art materials, intending to work on surfaces or scales not previously in their practice. This supported a transition into the art world, with a handful of group shows in 2024 and their first solo exhibitions closely following in 2025. Recently, Kirra was a featured artist in “Groundworks – The Works Festival 2025”, with “Fungus on Flannel”. She is excitedly preparing large, wall-consuming paintings for her next exhibition: The Enbridge Centre in November.
Artist Statement
Hours spent in the quiet backrooms of natural history museums and afternoons flipping logs in the woods have left me attentive to the ignored. My work largely aims to elevate underrepresented elements of the natural world like fungi, slugs and so on as worthy of equal consideration as more conventional subjects of nature-themed art. I find strange organism charming; I paint to make an argument for the reconsideration of what is worthwhile and beautiful. Underrepresented subjects serve as an allegory for the perspectives of neurodivergent individuals, whose interests and vision may seem disconnected from others.
I use reclaimed textiles and occasionally, warped wood in place of traditional canvas. This allows me to work with the preexisting patterns on the ‘canvas’ work in concert with the subject and reduces my contribution to the waste crisis. Whenever appropriate, I use my work as a vehicle for scientific communication: it is easier to connect with a painting than a Wikipedia article. Global biodiversity is declining, yet only a fraction is seen up close; I intend to capture as much of it as I can on canvas through an emotionally accessible lens.