Sydney Kleinrock
Sydney Hunter Kleinrock is an artist based in Brooklyn, NY. She received a Bachelor's degree at Hampshire College in 2018 and has since shown work in multiple group shows in New York City and a solo show at Club George in Northampton, MA. She participated in a residency at Vermont Studio Center in 2018 and at ChaNorth in 2024. Sydney works as a painter, using textile processes to create unconventional surfaces for her works.
Collect Bean: What role does color play in your practice?
Sydney Kleinrock: Color is integral to my practice. I am drawn to combinations that are a little saccharine while remaining balanced in composition. I start most of my paintings with a wash of a brighter color that sets the tone for the piece. I love seeing little bits of the original color peek out of the final form. I have been trying to be more intentional with my palettes, and I will flip through old art books and replicate the feel of anything that catches my eye.
Collect Bean: What is something that you do to stay focused?
Sydney Kleinrock: I will listen to any album by Joanna Newsom, beginning to end.
Collect Bean: Are there any recurring themes or motifs in your art, and if so, what do they represent to you?
Sydney Kleinrock: I think a lot about the fabric objects in our homes and how they witness passing the time and change while often remaining in one environment for extended periods. I am interested in exploring how these moments of passing time in a space are made visible through the quilted framework of non-linear storytelling.
Collect Bean: How do you balance your practice with your daily life?
Sydney Kleinrock: I try not to force things too often and tend to be mindful of how I distribute my days. Time outside of the studio is necessary for me to inspire and shape my work. Spending time with friends, reading, cooking, watching movies, and working are all integral parts of my life that feed the creative process. If I am really into what I am working on at the moment, I may see-saw in the painting direction for a bit, but it usually balances out eventually.
Collect Bean: How does your painting process look like from start to finish?
Sydney Kleinrock: For the quilted paintings, I generally start with the quilted shape that I want to work with. I will construct the “quilt” by sewing together layers of canvas and batting and topstitching my design over the piece. Once that process is done, I usually think about color next. The process of making these paintings feels similar to a jigsaw puzzle to me, figuring out the right imagery that will blend well within the context of the piece. I consider shape, thematic connections, color, density, and balance throughout the process. With each new section painted, I will continue to add or remove elements of others, trying to keep things synchronized until it seems like I shouldn’t touch them anymore.
