perception + play

This exhibition presents the work of Kayla Rumpp and Ainsley Van Hook, two artists who have come together to explore how our perception of materials and meaning shifts over time. Through distinct practice, (Rumpp in sculptural painting, Van Hook in textile-based forms) both artists create work grounded in intuition, curiosity, and vibrant color.

Kayla Rumpp’s sculptural paintings are hand-formed from papier-mâché and painted in radiant acrylic gradients. Deeply influenced by Josef Albers’ Interaction of Color, her work examines how hue and form alter our visual and emotional perception. The physicality of her shaped canvases and her bold yet precise use of color invite viewers to question what they’re seeing and feeling in real time. A former elementary school teacher, Rumpp brings a sense of playful experimentation to her practice, where intuition leads the way and curiosity is paramount.

Ainsley Van Hook approaches her textile-based work as both a reverent tribute to craft traditions and a personal act of preservation. Her process honors the labor, memory, and lineage embedded in fabric-based art, treating each piece as a living archive. Originally trained as a ballet dancer, Van Hook’s work is imbued with grace, discipline, and a deep respect for the beauty found in repetition and ritual. Through soft materials and handwork, she weaves together threads of memory, femininity, and cultural heritage, reminding us how context shapes our understanding of the treasured and the everyday.

While distinct in medium and inspiration, both artists share a devotion to color and unmistakable sense of play. Their works engage viewers in acts of perception: how we see, how we remember, and how meaning evolves. In their hands, art becomes a space for exploration where legacy meets experimentation, and where past and present shift in relation to one another.