Scrambled Eggs Interview Series: Alexys Keller

Alexys Keller, Mascot Character design, 2022, Mixed media on paper

The Scrambled Eggs Interview Series is a six-part series of interviews with six emerging artists from Las Vegas who recently had solo exhibitions at Scrambled Eggs Gallery. Each artist was interviewed by Emmanuel Muñoz, creator of, and curator at, Scrambled Eggs. The first interview in the series was conducted with Alexys Keller, whose Going Away was on view from August 21st through August 28th, 2022, closing off the inaugural run of exhibitions at the gallery.

EM: Who is Alexys Keller?

AK: Unfortunately I cannot answer this question without my lawyer present.

EM: What would you be if you weren’t an artist?

AK: Funny enough I think I would be some sort of paralegal or lawyer. I got a ticket once and had to go to court and the power of the room felt reminiscent of a church. Also the way the judge was able to manipulate his tone was witchcraft in itself. Maybe if my parents weren’t divorced or if I never obsessed with art and feelings I’d be a completely different person. I think about it sometimes when a painting or idea gets frustrating.

EM: What is a memory with art that sticks out?

AK: My dad would take me to the natural history museum as a kid. It’s one of my favorite places. It was always cold, quiet and inviting with a faint smell of old books but more gamy. I love all the taxidermied animals they have. I could actually see the small details of every animal that you would never see at the zoo. Thinking about it makes me appreciate life which I think has a lot to do with art.

EM: Did you have a favorite animal that you looked at?

AK: California condor, I love the still they have with the mother and its child.

EM: Who are some of your favorite artists?

AK: Alex G, Mario Ayala, my mom, Pamela Coleman Smith, Ram Dass, Alan Moore, Mariah Carey, Taiyo Matsumoto, Mobius, Alexander Heir, John C. Rielly, Robert Crumb, construction workers, Tex Avery, Sylvia Plath, Gene Wilder, OTTO, Nathan Fielder, Aleister Crowley, the Scrambled Eggs collective, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Katsuhiro Otomo, Wendy Willams, Stanley Kubrick, Kerry James Marshall, and Sarasvati.

EM: Interesting, many people wouldn’t consider construction workers as artists, why do you see them as such?

AK: They are creators at its core, I think limiting art to ‘artist’ is selfish. Luckily I am not special and everyone around me has their own way of manifesting that is, in itself, art. Quite frankly they’re more talented/hardworking than anything I can create or do.

Alexys Keller, Scan of Alexys Keller’s sketchbook, 2021, Pen on sketchbook paper

EM: What is special about living in Las Vegas?

AK: It’s pretty intense. A friend told me once that it is like a dark mirror, a lot of people can’t handle their reflection, especially tourists. Growing up here we are exposed to a lot of extremes but pressure makes diamonds and I can see it forming in ourselves and the community.

EM: Your work is riddled with characters of all sorts, where do you draw inspiration for the many figures you draw?

AK: It probably starts with childhood. I’ve always wanted to be a cartoonist, but my head is a huge recycling bin for images I’ve seen and want to bring back to the viewer as a gift. There are a lot of ideas waiting to be repurposed and given new meaning/life.

EM: What sort of new meanings have you found in these images as an artist?

AK: I have found god and light.

EM: You’re always carrying your sketchbook around, what is your philosophy on sketchbooks and how does it play a role in your art practice?

AK: Sketchbooks are a necessity for anyone, but especially artists. Being human means we have hundreds of thoughts/emotions all day. We need to respect and acknowledge them. For myself, documenting with a sketchbook gives me a purpose and is essential to build technical skills I’m still working on.

EM: A lot of your work incorporates text, is this something you are always thinking about when making an artwork?

AK: I always answer no to this question but subconsciously it is yes. I'm beginning to realize a writer must live at the core of my practice but it’s easier to ignore and hide it behind all my paintings and drawings.

EM: What do you usually write about?

AK: Nothing in particular, it's when the mood hits me or eavesdropping on the environment around me. 

EM: Why do you think art is important?

AK: Because it is inevitable so there is no other choice to embrace it. 

EM: Can you tell us about a new project you are working on?

AK: Trying to become more stable and present for myself.

EM: What is something great that you’ve seen, read or heard recently?

AK: Archive.org, it’s chock full of information!

For more about Alexys Keller, follow her on Instagram @bbuttocks and Scrambled Eggs Gallery @scrambledeggsgallery

Scrambled Eggs Gallery is an artist-run gallery and collective based in Las Vegas, Nevada working to spotlight and exhibit up and coming artists. Link to more interviews in the Scrambled Eggs Artist Interview series here.

Alexys Keller, Scan of Alexys Keller’s Sketchbook, 2021, Pen on sketchbook paper

Posted by D.K. Sole and published by Wendy Kveck on September 4, 2022.