Mandy Kaiser Art

02/25/2026

One of my paintings, which is a part of Kristine Schomaker's Perceive Me project, is on view this weekend at the Startup Art Fair in Venice Beach. Let's goooo! She is also running n**e portrait sessions - anyone can come and sign up to have professional artists draw you! ✍️
Get tickets www.startup-art.com/losangeles

07/18/2025

I recently turned 50, which is the age my grandma was when I was born. Not having children of my own, I tend to look backwards through my lineage more often than forwards. What was she like when she was younger than I am now? If time was a dial, and I could turn it at my whim, I'd visit her in the field where she stood, posing for a photo, and ask her.
In process, oil and acrylic on wood panel.

05/09/2025

The mystery of memory is that it is so fallible, while feeling like a solid truth to us in our minds. We create stories about our past that are half-real, or sometimes even complete fabrications, but we do not often doubt them, not even a little. Most of the paintings in this series are not based on my memories. I was not present when the photos were taken. The memory may not even exist in anyone's mind, not any more. How did this moment happen, why was this picture taken, what was said?

This painting is still in process, and currently in storage. I hope to be able to finish it later this year.

04/17/2025

The connection with the past is strong for some people. For others, it is wispy, tenuous or even non-existent. When we learn about our ancestors, what does that tell us about ourselves? Maybe the exact biological and geographical details help us understand something fundamental. But when we don’t have access to that information, are there other doors to try? Other voices to listen to, within?

Untitled, watercolor on panel

04/14/2025

I took this great selfie and then immediately smashed my glasses under the hot tub cover, bending them all to hell. 🤓

04/13/2025

The photos I am using for this body of work come from the houses of my grandparents. I know some of the people and some of the events that these photos show. But mostly, I have no idea who the people are or what they were doing. I don’t know why the photos were taken. I don’t know what they were feeling, if it was a good day, or an unusual one, or if they cared about getting their picture taken or if they ever looked at them again once they were placed in an album. In these pieces, I am building and rebuilding the stories for myself, putting my current self in some kind of context.

In process, acrylic, photo transfer and oil on canvas.

04/01/2025

The memories that I carry with me are soft. The edges have long-since been filed down so I do not even feel them anymore. And then there are the images and moments that I never experienced at all, but nonetheless are stored in my body. These include the memories of all the generations that came before, their hopes and loves and pain and memories and fears and lives and deaths and laughter.

This piece is still in process, but getting close to finished. The metal foil marks on the panel are the scrawls and long-ago-smudged signatures on the back of a different original reference photo.

03/01/2025

02/17/2025

It is beautiful here in Santa Barbara, and we are SO grateful that we are able to be here. And yet the heartache and homesickness is real. This isn't home, but it's home for now.

Sending love and care for everyone who lost their home and possessions, or who aren't able to live in their home anymore. And especially to the loved ones of people and pets who died. The grief of so much loss is immense: communities, neighborhoods, livelihoods, a sense of sanctuary and safety. The road ahead will be long. I hope it will also continue to be filled with love for our fellow Angelinos. 💕🌴

01/13/2025

Posted • COMMUNITY CALL

In collaboration with we created a list of GoFund Me campaigns of all the Black individuals and families who’ve been affected by the LA fires, specifically our community in Altadena and Pasadena. Please click the link in bio for the full directory. Donate what you can and share these campaigns.

UPDATE: we have 214 campaigns on our sheet! We’ve been able to help 6 families reach their goals, 30+ are almost at their goal, 37 are halfway! Please continue to share the link with your friends and family and donate as you can.

TO SUBMIT: please email [email protected] to submit campaign links. Before sending please double check the campaign is not already in the sheet + provide the family or family contact full name to ensure we’re labeling them properly.

Thank you so so much for showing up for our community like this! Let’s keep it going 🫶🏽🫶🏾🫶🏿

01/10/2025

My friend and her family lost their home in the Eaton Fire this week in Altadena. Not only that, but the community and neighborhood that they care so much for has been devastated. Please donate if you are able to help them rebuild! Link in bio.