Mezzanine Gallery

The Delaware Division of the Arts’ Mezzanine Gallery is pleased to present Stone Formations, a solo exhibition of new work by Kira Krell, on view May 1-29, 2026. An opening reception will be held Friday, May 1, from 5-7pm, in the Mezzanine Gallery, located in the Carvel State Office Building at 820 N. French Street, Wilmington. Admission is free and open to the public.

“Stone Formations” guides viewers from volcanic deserts to coastal shorelines through a series of layered, relief-like paintings that trace geological time and place. Krell builds her surfaces by combining sand, plaster, and earth pigments, adding, subtracting, and distressing these materials to achieve textures that appear weathered and time-worn. Intricate details emerge through dry brushing and mark-making with acrylics and pencils, revealing the inner structures of the geological forms she studies. Fascinated by the permanence and strength conveyed by natural landscapes, Krell offers an impression of steadiness and belonging – a counterpoint to the pace and instability of contemporary life. The exhibition invites viewers to pause, breathe, and reflect on the enduring presence of the physical world.

Kira Krell is an abstract artist based in Townsend, Delaware, whose practice centers on multi-layered surfaces and material exploration. Born in 1973 in Bad Oeynhausen, Germany, Krell grew up in a creative family that valued hands-on making, and spent more than a decade traveling internationally as a missionary, experiences that continue to shape her connection to physical environments and place.

Krell began painting during the COVID-19 pandemic, after challenging herself to try drawing. Working with watered-down craft paint, a pen, and an empty CD sleeve, she created her first line-and-wash work. That experimental process led her to canvas and to her current abstract style. Since formally developing her practice in 2021, Krell has refined her work through specialized workshops and ongoing research into historic materials, including plaster and earth pigments.

In 2024, she presented her first solo exhibition, Beauty in Brokenness, at the Newark Arts Alliance Gallery in Newark, Delaware. Her work has also been shown at the Bethany Beach Arts Festival and in group exhibitions at the Newark Arts Alliance. Krell is the recipient of a 2024 Artist Opportunity Grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts and the Delaware State Arts Council. Her paintings are held in private collections in Europe and across the United States.

Couldn’t attend the gallery or just want to relive the experience? Check out our photo albums of each event on our Flickr account.