Meet Local Artist Keo Gathman: Music, Memories, and Portraits That Bring Icons to Life
If you’ve spent time in the lobby at JAM recently, you surely have noticed three familiar faces looking back at you: David Bowie, Freddie Mercury and Amy Winehouse. These striking portraits are the work of local artist Keo Gathman, who has generously shared her artwork with our JAM community.
For Keo, creating art is nothing new. “I’ve made art my entire life,” she says. But about 12 years ago, she found the medium that truly clicked for her and it opened the door to a new creative journey centered around the music and film icons who have inspired generations. Keo creates portraits in mosaic-style using carefully curated clippings from publications. From a distance, the portraits read as that but the closer you get, you realize the portrait literally says so much more through Keo's messages.
Inspired by the Icons
Keo’s work focuses primarily on portraits of music and film legends. Her subjects are people who have done more than entertain us, they have sparked creativity, challenged convention and left lasting impressions on the world around them.
That inspiration comes through in her portraits. Bowie, Mercury and Winehouse each have distinctive personalities and stories, and Keo captures more than their recognizable features. Her artwork invites viewers to pause and connect with the people behind the iconic images.
Her creative process is closely tied to the very music that inspires her subjects.
“When I’m creating a portrait, I always wear Bluetooth headphones,” Keo explains, with a variety of music playing as she works. It’s easy to imagine the soundtrack changing with each portrait, creating an atmosphere that connects the artist, the subject and the finished piece.
Finding a Creative Home in Janesville
Keo’s connection to the Janesville community stretches back nearly two decades. After moving to Beloit from the Omaha area in 1986, she eventually made her way to Janesville in 2007. Over the years, the community has become home and now her artwork is becoming part of the local landscape with featured galleries at Hedberg Public Library, JAM and more.
By displaying her portraits in the JAM lobby, Keo is giving visitors an opportunity to experience her work up close. Whether you’re a lifelong fan of Bowie, Mercury or Winehouse, a lover of portraiture, or simply someone who appreciates discovering local talent, the artwork offers something to stop and admire.
A Life of Creativity and Service
There’s another important part of Keo’s story that visitors might not know: she is a United States Marine Corps veteran. Her journey--from a lifelong love of art, to discovering her preferred medium, to creating portraits inspired by cultural icons, to sharing that work with her Janesville community--is a reminder that creativity can take many forms and can continue evolving throughout a lifetime of different experiences.
We’re grateful to Keo for generously sharing her talent with JAM and for giving our visitors the chance to experience these stunning portraits. Next time you’re in the JAM lobby, take a moment to look closely at the artwork. You may find yourself not only recognizing three legendary musicians but seeing them through Keo Gathman’s unique artistic perspective.
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