About
Bio
April Marie Mai is known for their vibrant abstract impasto paintings, social commentary fiber work, and explorations of color and pattern in printmaking, drawing, and ink. They create playful abstractions of the beauty of everyday life, constantly looking to explore the world and their place in it.
April is a non-binary woman who lives and creates art in Overland Park, Kansas. They have multiple disabilities, and find joy through art and community.
Their work has been shown at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Missouri.
Artist's Statement
In my art, I meld vibrant hues, intricate motifs, and textures to traverse the human condition. Each palette knife stroke embodies personal and societal tales, navigating joy, adversity, and the taboo with raw honesty in each layer of impasto paint. Technology intertwines traditional craft with digital innovation, infusing my work with the warmth of human touch.
I weave together narratives of my Queer identity, autism, disability and sexual assault experiences, creating art that is deeply vulnerable and connects to the shared human subconscious, making a space where viewers can feel seen or have difficult conversations. Paint creates new beauty, photography integrates the details of everyday life and ink brings depth. Fiber symbolizes resilience, fostering dialogue and catalyzing transformation.
My art transcends reflection; it’s a beacon of hope, guiding us toward understanding and unity. Join me on a journey where colors dance, patterns speak, and textures sing—a symphony of life, love, and the human spirit, inviting you to feel, to reflect, and to be moved.
April Marie Mai's CV
Education
BFA in Painting, Kansas City Art Institute
Professional Service
2024 Catalyst Grant Panelist, Mid-America Arts Alliance
Selected Exhibitions
2024 Her Art / Their Art, InterUrban ArtHouse, Overland Park, KS
2023 The Queer Experience, InterUrban ArtHouse, Overland Park, KS
2023 Disability Finding: Creative Expression, The Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability and Rehabilitation Research, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
2022 Tangled Roots, InterUrban ArtHouse Overland Park, KS
2022 The Queer Experience, InterUrban ArtHouse, Overland Park, KS
2022 Expressions, The Whole Person, Kansas City, MO
Rochester Brewing and Roasting, North Independence Missouri Library, Woodneath Library Center, Kansas City Museum, InterUrban ArtHouse
2021 Expressions, The Whole Person, Kansas City, MO
Rochester Brewing and Roasting, Thornhill Gallery, Kansas City Kansas Library, Kansas City Kansas Community College,
Kansas City Artists’ Coalition
2020 Resilience, Reflection, Rebuilding, Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center, Overland Park, KS
2020 The Queer Experience, InterUrban ArtHouse, Overland Park, KS
2020 Her Art: Who Does She Think She Is? InterUrban ArtHouse, Overland Park, KS
2020 Expressions, The Whole Person, Kansas City, MO
Rochester Brewing and Roasting, Thornhill Gallery at Avila University, The Smalter Gallery, InterUrban ArtHouse
2017 Inspire KC, Union Station, Kansas City, MO
2002 Interplay Between Human and Divine (S0lo), F.L. Schlage Library, Kansas City, KS
1996 Portrait of Self, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO
Selected Awards
2022 Artist Inc. Live Seminar Fellow, Kansas City, MO
2017 Midwest Jewish Artists Lab Fellow, Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City, Overland Park, KS
Selected Teaching
2023 Impasto Painting Workshop, Overland Park, KS
2022 Paint Pouring Workshop, Overland Park, KS
2020 Paper Collage Workshop, Overland Park, KS
2019 Squeegee Abstract Painting Workshop, Overland Park, KS
2017 Acrylic Abstract Painting Workshop, Overland Park, KS
