Avery is a fourth year student at the University of Cincinnati (DAAP) majoring in fine arts and minoring in art history.

Biographical Statement:

Avery Messner is a Cincinnati-based oil painter who specializes in traditional painting techniques and emphasizes how light interacts in space through emotion, warmth, and depth. She seeks to understand relationships and interactions between elements in a painting. By immersing herself in historical contexts, she technically understands a space and the objects within it before conceptually understanding the light and interaction. She has experience in digital gallery collection management, social media and email campaign practice, and curatorial experience.. Avery wishes to pursue a career in museum/gallery curation, creative directing, or private art consulting following her graduation in December of 2025

Artist Statement:

Drawing from personal history, reference photos, and an ongoing investigation of my childhood home in terms of its interiors, I explore why certain aesthetics resonate so deeply and the aesthetics of domestic spaces that evoke a sense of nostalgia and familiarity. My fascination with this period stems from more than nostalgia; I see it as a reflection of changing relationships—with time, with family, and with the objects that surround us. My work is rooted in traditional techniques, I begin with structure and skill before allowing intuition to take over. What makes a space feel homey? What does color, furniture and lighting do to a room? Lighting is central to my work, not just as an element of realism but as a force that interacts with space, creating warmth, depth, and emotion. The relationships between objects, architecture, and people are as important as the spaces themselves. By capturing the essence of time passing, of spaces once full and now still, I invite viewers to consider their own connections to home, memory, and change. My process is fueled by excitement—the thrill of understanding space, chasing the perfect light, and uncovering the meaning behind styles.