The Maine Ingredient

Meet Artist Kevin Xiques

About Kevin Xiques

“I am a self-taught artist based in Portland, Maine. In December of 2020 I picked up a paintbrush for the first time since 6th grade, and now I am completely immersed in my practice. I work with acrylic paint on canvas and my paintings focus on free will and pure expression, which I channel through my use of color and mark-making.

Growing up as a person of color in a rural town in Vermont, I actively suppressed my individuality. I took away much of my childhood freedom in an attempt to blend in. I am here to reclaim that freedom through my work.

Reasons/acrylic on canvas/36”x48

My work represents my escape from the metaphorical box I spent my childhood in. I grew up in a rural town in Vermont as one of the only people of color. I was frequently singled out for being one of the few black people in my school and was known for being “slower” because of my dyslexia and slow processing speed. It was tough for my mind to follow
conventional methods of learning, and I struggled in educational settings that demanded a standardized approach.

My art is the liberation of my mind. I am allowing myself to embrace my way of processing things and to forget about any normalcy I “should be” taking part in. There is no planning behind any of my pieces, only guidance from my present emotions. I make each mark as an intuitive response to the relative state of the canvas. My color palettes are created at the moment; no combination of colors is off-limits.

This process is my therapy and a commitment to honoring my mind and the way it thinks. My paintings are the manifestation of the freedom I have gained and the freedom I am hoping every individual will come to realize. As long as we are not harming others, there is no right or wrong way to think or act. My work celebrates freedom of thought and represents emancipation from the status quo.