Kelsey You Seepin
In this work titled “Kelsey You Seepin, Troy Hul Arnold tenderly captures the quiet bond between uncle and niece in a moment of serene stillness. The title—drawn directly from the affectionate language of his infant niece, Kelsey—imbues the piece with a sense of familial closeness and linguistic intimacy. It is a phrase both playful and profound, echoing the way love is communicated in gestures as much as in words.

Set within the verdant embrace of Central Park’s Conservatory Garden on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the painting draws from the artist’s lived experience during the COVID-19 lockdown, when morning walks through the garden became a ritual of solace and connection. Though his mother Catherine and partner Elise, who often accompanied these walks, are not pictured, their presence lingers as part of the emotional fabric of the scene.

Nestled on Arnold’s shoulder, the sleeping Kelsey becomes the focal point of a larger meditation on care, continuity, and intergenerational tenderness. Framed by the lush greenery of the park, the work gently reminds us that even amidst global uncertainty, there remain pockets of profound stillness—where love is cradled quietly in the arms of family.