Kelly Pontoni

Kelly Pontoni is a prominent multidisciplinary artist, curator, and community organizer based in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Her work and curatorial projects heavily focus on contemporary social issues, with a strong emphasis on LGBTQ+ representation and historical documentation. Pontoni was a non-traditional student alumna of the Cleveland Institute of Art.

She works across a diverse range of artistic disciplines:

Mosaics and Collages: Frequently exhibits tactile, layered mosaic pieces and collage work on panels.

Printmaking and Painting: Known for abstract and representational paintings that deal with identity and community themes.

Artist Books and Journals: Handcrafts unique, tactile book art and journals, which she showcases at regional fairs such as the Northern Ohio Bibliophilic Society (NOBS) book fair.

Beyond creating personal art, Pontoni is a widely recognized curator in Northeast Ohio, frequently giving a platform to missing or marginalized stories. CONVERGE (2021): Pontoni served as the lead curator for this landmark, multi-venue exhibition hosted by the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve. The exhibition documented the historical and contemporary stories of over 70 regional LGBTQIA+ artists.

Pontoni is an out lesbian living in Cleveland Heights, has a studio, K2 in Cleveland's Midtown. At her studio she has clients come to her for bookbinding and restoration services. She also has the ability to offer printmaking, and bookbinding classes. K2 consists of herself and local printmaking artist Karen D. Beckwith.