Ridgewood artist finds creative fuel in Queens beaches
Kelli Thompson, a fine arts graduate living in Ridgewood, says the borough's changing neighborhood dynamics and waterfront access shape her studio practice.
By Riya Zhao ·
For Kelli Thompson, a visual artist based in Ridgewood, the cost of living in New York City has risen, but the borough remains a central part of her daily life. Thompson moved from Boston to Ridgewood in 2010 after a real estate agent showed her only one available apartment on Fresh Pond Road. She has remained in the neighborhood for the past 16 years, raising her son Eli with her husband, Craig Friedman, while maintaining her art studio nearby.
Thompson earned a Master of Fine Arts from the School of the Museum of Fine Art in Boston and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New Orleans. Her professional history includes solo exhibitions at Good Children Gallery in New Orleans in 2009 and Shelter Gallery in the Lower East Side in 2023. She has also participated in numerous group shows across the United States. Her work appeared in issues of New American Paintings in 2010 and 2024, as well as in Art Voices Magazine and Art Maze Magazine.
The artist describes her early years in Queens as a period where the area felt like a normal neighborhood without pretenses. She notes that the district has since become trendier and less affordable. Despite these changes, she believes most of the borough still retains a character defined by working communities where residents can feel comfortable being themselves. This sense of place influences her creative output, particularly through time spent at the Rockaways and Jacob Riis Beach. She identifies water as a key source of inspiration for her work.
Thompson argues that artistic skill is not exclusively innate. She states that instruction can build a strong foundation for skill development through practice. For those without access to formal classes or workshops, she advises them to simply begin creating. She emphasizes that daily production is not always possible, even for professionals. Taking breaks from studio work allows artists to return with fresh perspectives.
Networking remains a primary method for Thompson to share her work. She explains that curators and dealers rely on connections to discover new artists. These professional interactions also provide feedback and motivation, which she considers essential for critical thinking about one's own practice. She cites fellow Queens-based artists Maeve D'Arcy and Christine Rebhuhn as examples of the local creative community she engages with.
Her daily life in the borough includes visits to specific cultural venues. Thompson names the Noguchi Museum in Long Island City and the Museum of the Moving Image as favorites. She also highlights local spaces in Ridgewood, such as the Lorimoto gallery and the Low Cinema theater. Her dining preferences reflect the borough's diversity, including a recent visit to an Indonesian restaurant in Jackson Heights and a casual Japanese spot down the street from her home. She describes driving to new restaurants as a favorite family activity.
The artist has served as a guest lecturer at the North Carolina Museum of Art and held residencies at The Wassaic Project, Vermont Studio Center, and the DNA Residency in Provincetown. She continues to live and work in Ridgewood, balancing her studio practice with the rhythms of the neighborhood.
