Kelsy Osterman, Hair Artist and Magician

How far would you travel for the perfect haircut?

Ages ago, I found my hair magician. I have worked with many hair stylists whom I respect and adore, but there is only one Kelsy Lilian Osterman. She was my lead hair stylist on everything I produced in the early days of Ruby3, MNfashion, and Voltage: Fashion Amplified. When she moved to NYC, I became part of her dedicated following of clients that would await her return every 6-8 weeks. Life got busy, schedules got jumbled, and I missed her for a while. A little over a year ago I made an appointment with her during a trip to NYC, and everything came back into focus. It was as though no time had passed, and yet in that time she had stepped into her artistry and was creating on a whole new level. My hair practically sang for joy.

Her mission statement:

Kelsy Lillian Osterman, K.L.O hair, is a creator and captor of fibers. She is committed to making art in the present moment and where you travel within it. The creation of art, to Kelsy, is an expression that materializes within the openness of time and space. This sensation of time and space is different for everyone.. we all fight for it in many forms and sometimes take a whole lifetime truly discovering that space. Her purest connective moments are in the presence of nature, and in her opinion, is the only influence left that cannot be controlled. The fiber Kelsy chooses to work with primarily is hair. Placing herself and subject in an environment that will persuade the mood and alter the fibers organically. Her beliefs are centered around the acceptance of the reality that all things are transient and imperfect.

Capturing beauty with her camera celebrates the fine details one could only absorb in a slower more calmed down version of itself before it then changes into something all together different. Some call it the emergence of nothingness.. its the quality that compels us to look at that something over, and over, and over again.

“My continued works are focused on connecting hair and nature, people and self.“

It was so gratifying to have Kelsy join our crew for the Gray Matter Series. One of the main things we found that we all had in common that day was our dedication to taking our art, our work, to the next level. Her vision and passion for her craft is invigorating, and being able to embody her work through my own hair absolutely blows my mind.

Catch her artistry at our Gray Matter Series event Sept 9-10 at the Hewing Hotel during Fashion Week MN, follow her on Instagram, and book your own appointment with her at Spoke and Weal in Soho.