About the artist

Kelly Aiken

Kelly Aiken is a professional metal leaf and fine artist based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her work began as a form of healing. Living with dermatillomania, an OCD-related disorder expressed through skin picking, she found in gilding a way to bring order to what could not be controlled. Inspired by kintsugi, the Japanese art of mending broken pottery with gold, she brought metal leaf into her practice, transforming what was broken into lasting beauty and scars into moments of her story.

Today, that philosophy shapes every commission. Kelly creates bold, immersive spaces that turn a room into a home, or a business into a place where one wishes to linger. Her daughter inspires her fearless use of color and her high-energy approach.

Her hope is that each piece fosters a deep sense of connection to the space, bringing warmth and positive feeling. However bold the palette, the result should always feel calm, comfortable, and complete.