MK Bailey

“The predominant themes of my work are nostalgia/grief, anxiety, and the tension between dream and reality. Aesthetically, I’m interested in exploring the line between ironically self-aware kitsch and a genuinely over-the-top-feminine aesthetic. The light and bright imagery combines with the dark themes of the work to create tension between presentation and meaning.”
MK Bailey makes narrative figure-based paintings and experimental landscapes that reflect her experience of the world. Although the main focus of her practice is large-scale acrylic painting, her work heavily relies on digital mediums for drawing and drafting compositions. 
Bailey grew up in a fantasy world, and is currently based in Washington DC. Her first solo show, Secret Garden, was at IA&A Hillyer in April 2022 and she recently dipped her toes into installation work at Plain Sight DC. Bailey is a 2021 recipient of DC’s Commission on the Arts and Humanities Fellowship and teaches acrylic painting at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, where she was the 2020 Gallery Artist in Residence and co-founded The Residents Collective.

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