Olivia Helms is a Kansas City–based painter pursuing her BFA in Painting with a Minor in Entrepreneurial Studies at the Kansas City Art Institute. Originally from McKinney, Texas, Helms discovered her passion for art after relocating to Oklahoma at age 13, where she began developing the technical skill and personal voice that continue to define her work today. Her artistic journey has been shaped by both study and teaching, with experience as an instructor at Inspired Aesthetics (Kansas City, MO) and Stilly Arts (Stillwater, OK). These roles have deepened her commitment to creative community-building and mentorship. Helms’ work has been featured in curated exhibitions at the Kansas City Art Institute and the Kansas City Artists Coalition. Through her practice, she continues to explore the intersection of expression, connection, and education while striving to inspire others to pursue their own creative paths.

Olivia is an interdisciplinary artist based in Kansas City, MO who explores the mediums of paint and fiber. She is pursuing a BFA in Painting and a Minor in Entrepreneurial Studies at the Kansas City Art Institute. She was raised in the American South, surrounded by traditional Southern values and a strong Christian cultural influence. Her earlier work consisted of using acrylic paint to criticize the toxicity of a hypocritical religious culture while experimenting with 3D works such as fiber and clay. Currently, Helms employs various painting mediums to explore the concept of faded memory through a nostalgic lens, using vivid, contrasting colors to evoke a sense of falsity and overstimulation. She uses assorted textiles to evoke the comfort of a loving home, contrasting the warmth of childhood with an adult perspective. Through embroidered thread and knitting techniques that signify time, care, and intention, she recontextualizes domestic materials to suggest new meanings beyond their original purpose. Helms’ work investigates identity through the lens of her own relationships and past experiences. By attempting to understand these events from both her own and others’ perspectives, she creates space for connection and dialogue with a wide-ranging audience. Helms has been a part of group shows in Kansas City including galleries curated under the Kansas City Art Institute and the Kansas City Artists Coalition. Helms is currently working as an intern at the Charlotte Street Foundation and the Kansas City Artist Coalition.

Olivia Helms she/her

loafandoats@gmail.com

Education

2022 BFA in Painting + Minor in Entrepreneurial Studies (class of 2026)
Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO

Summer 2024 Associate classes

Northern Oklahoma College, Stillwater, OK

2019-22 Highschool Diploma (class of 2022)
Stillwater High School, Stillwater, OK

Work Experience

Fall 2025 Internship

Kansas City Artist Coalition, Kansas City, MO

Fall 2025 Internship

Charlotte Street Foundation, Kansas City, MO