Meet Kelly Maryanski

I always get overwhelmed by this question so I am going to phone this answer in and provide two of my professional bios below, one as an illustrator, and one as a performer (this part may read like textbook):

As an illustrator and fashion sketch artist:

Kelly Maryanski is a Los Angeles based illustrator specializing in ink and watercolor and live fashion sketching. Her work was first published at the age of 11 in TOKYOPOP Magazine, Los Angeles, CA. In 2005, Kelly completed her first publication job when she was a junior in high school as a recurring illustrator at Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers. She holds a BFA cum laude from Denison University in Granville, Ohio where she specialized in large scale illustration and site-specific installations. She is intrigued with voyeurism, tactile objects, cuteness and kitsch, society’s fixation upon iconic figures, identity formation, and incorporating whimsy in each of her designs and into everyday life.

Kelly is inspired by the works of John Tenniel, Maira Kalman, Wes Anderson,  Edith Head, and Miles White. And Audrey Hepburn. And movement.
Often, verity lies in details and sometimes these small things matter the most.

Kelly’s illustrations have been featured for the Art Institute of Chicago, Dainese, Harley Davidson, Hush Puppies, Lumen Optical, Simple Skincare, FLATS Chicago, Givenchy, Create & Cultivate, Goldman Sachs, Luxury Garage Sale, Hermès, Saks Fifth Avenue, Wansas Tequila, West Elm, Westfield Shopping Centers, private concept art and character design, D&D character designs, and multiple exhibitions and activations across the USA.

Kelly is represented by FLATSSTUDIO
Kelly is a member of the Chicago Writers Association

As a movement artist, actor, and circus artist:

Kelly Maryanski is a Los Angeles based multidisciplinary artist; a dancer, circus artist, athlete, aerialist, storyteller, actor, singer, musician, illustrator, and choreographer with formal training in ballet, contemporary dance, musical theater, world dance, precision jazz, piano, competitive sports, and circus acrobatics.

She trained with Diane Rawlinson in the Hubbard Street DIAMOND program in Chicago Illinois and under Rawlinson’s mentorship, Kelly has had the opportunity to dance in pieces by choreographers such as Melissa Thodos, Angela Mollison, Katie Callandra, Keith Elliot, Harrison McEldowney, Christine Baltes, and Eddy Ocampo. She has been a three-time performer in Dance Chicago (New Dances, Best of New Dances, Dances from the Heart) and has performed at the AAHPERD National Dance Convention and Walt Disney World.

Kelly graduated from Denison University with a BFA cum laude in Studio Art and Dance where she was a three-time Vail Scholar, Marimac Scholar, Mary K. Campbell Scholar, Founder’s Scholar, and member of the Dean’s List. Since then she has been performing regionally as a musical theatre performer, aerialist, singer, dancer, freelance choreographer, teacher, and illustrator. She has been a principal actor with Lyric Opera of Chicago for the past five seasons as well as in the latest RING Cycle as well as an aerialist and performer nationwide. In spring of 2020, Kelly was set to make her aerial fabric debut at the Lyric Opera of Chicago when the production of the long-awaited RING cycle was cut short just before opening night due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

She is a 2018 graduate of the  Professional Circus Training Program at The Actors Gymnasium. She also is a proud member of the American Guild of Musical Artists.

Recent performances include Circo Sereno Variety Show at The Aerial House in Los Angeles, Ca, and LE HAGGIS this past September in Dumfries, UK, Scotland.
She also co-runs a circus variety show, Circo Sereno, at The Aerial House in Los Angeles, CA.