hi !
I’m April Kleven, the Artist & Founder of The Art of April.I am a multi-passionate artist. I enjoy printmaking, watercolors, & painting, but my first and truest love is CLAY. As a busy mother of many, I shelved working with clay for almost two decades - I couldn’t figure out how to marry motherhood and artistry until I felt like I was starving for creativity after my 5th child was born.
I honestly thought I had forgotten how to be creative, but my hands craved clay, ink and paint like my tastebuds crave high quality chocolate.
I started experimenting with blockprinting, screenprinting & I signed up for a local pottery class in 2018. Oh, to have my hands in clay again!!!
It brought me back to life, and it saved my sanity as I navigated the stress of parenting headstrong teens and later the grief of losing my Father in August 2020.
It became apparent to me that giving oneself time & space to pause & create regularly is crucial for emotional well being.
So too is surrounding oneself with beautiful, inspiring works of art - art you can live with - both functional art that makes the mundane feel meaningful and decorative art that lifts your spirits! Which is why I began sharing my art, it felt selfish to keep it all to myself.
My fluid, intuitive pottery & painting style have evolved into what is known as “Wabi-Sabi” - an intentional embracing of the evidence of having been handmade - allowing my work to be perfectly imperfect - proof each piece is lovingly hand made by a living, breathing human being.
My hope is that you will feel simultaneously more peaceful & enlivened, more connected & creatively inspired as you incorporate the treasures I create & design into your daily life.
Much love, from my family to yours,
April Kleven