Out of the Frame

By Laura Cassidy

Photo: Ryan McVay

LONG BEFORE SHE earned her BFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Snohomish native Krista Kelly was getting an education in art. At age nine, she’d sneak into UW drawing classes with her mom and have professors critique her work. As the founder of Bilinear Art Consulting, she helps people and businesses acquire artwork and reimagine their visual environment.

Is outfitting a home with sculpture and video installations at all like  accessorizing an outfit?

I’m motivated by mixing textiles, color palettes, and cuts no matter the context. I  enjoy wearing street clothes and couture together, and I like classic fine art with custom, less inexpensive one-of-a-kind pieces.

What’s “Seattle style,” and do you have it?

A common complaint is that people here don’t dress up. When I came back from Chicago, I got nasty looks for wearing high heels and short skirts. I learned to ignore them. My style icons are female rappers like Salt-n-Pepa and Missy Elliott. They made it sexy to be assertive.

First designer clothing purchase

 A Martin Margiela silver sport coat in 2006. I still love and wear it. Margiela’s fabrics are durable and cool.

First art purchase

An early 1900s pencil drawing of a young lady. I found it in an antique store in Eastern Washington when I was 15. It must have been about $30. My dad still has it.

Wearing

Philosophy by Alberta Ferretti dress and Delman heels from Butch Blum, and an H&M jean jacket that I wear with almost everything. It looks like it came from the corner of an old garage but it’s very well tailored.

Published: June 2011