Paintings With Soul

ABOVE, detail, BELOW, full painting. "Pansy," 18"x24", acrylics and graphite on stonehenge paper, private collection (thank you very much!!). Inquiries can always come   to me . My grandmothers and great grandmother always knew how to make me feel special, no matter my age, no matter the situation. Today I was wondering what they would think of our world, what we have become. I wondered what they would do to make me feel better. I made Grandma Kelly's apple pancakes for breakfast. Pansies and violet remind me of my great grandmother, so they got called up. And there is a chalk outline of me and my maternal grandmother hugging each other buried deep in these layers of paint. So this piece is about building my own blanket fort to feel safe and loved. I hope you have a means to build one for yourself. Thanks for following along with my painting journey, Kim

"Alia," 9"x12"x1", acrylics on cradeled museum quality panel, private collection (thank you very much). Purchase inquiries can always come   to me . Alia learned to smile after being rescued by her new family. It was important that her portrait tell the story of a sweet girl with a new outlook. I was delighted to get to paint her this way, relaxed and happy. If you are looking for something extraordinarily special for yourself or a loved one, reach out. Commissioned paintings are a gift like no other, in that they reflect your own ideals while brightening your home/work space. I work from your personal photos to create a one of a kind portrait that looks - and feels - like your best friend. 8x10s start at $499 -   message me  and let's start planning your project! Thanks for following along with my painting journey, Kim

If you watched   today's #journalthroughit lesson , you saw me create this page live. While it looks complex, ir's really just a number of layers of marks, all done with simple materials you probably already have around your house. Collage papers and glue, a pen, and colored pencils or crayons. Also, if you are sadly quarantining without a spirograph, I showed a doodle substitution that was equally meditative and visually satisfying. And if you now cannot live another minute without a spirograph,   here's the one   that I used in class.   #journalthroughit continues to go strong, with   Ardith   Goodwin teaching Mondays (her class times can fluctuate), and then I chime in on Thursdays at 11:30 eastern. A   complete listing of the   37 classes to date   is on my website , along with direct links to the video lessons. Yup, you read that right - thirty seven lessons!! And we're still making more. Videos will be up for one year after air date and can be watched at your

"Eddy," 11"x14", acrylics and graphite on stonehenge paper, $399 plus s&h to the first asking nicely. This piece will be shipped flat and need to be framed and set behind glass by the buyer. I accept Paypal, venmo, personal checks and payment plans. Purchase inquiries can always come   to me . More art therapy. It's cold and damp in Michigan today and the world seems caught up in an odd vortex of insanity. So what do I do? I work at the easel while wearing my woolen winter hat, and think of baby swans in icy, swirling waters. Now I'm off for some hot tea. Thanks for following along with my painting journey, Kim

DETAIL "Cygnets," 11"x14", acrylics and graphite on stonehenge paper, $399 plus s&h to the first asking nicely. Full image is below. This piece will be shipped flat and need to be framed and set behind glass by the buyer. I accept Paypal, venmo, personal checks and payment plans. Purchase inquiries can always come   to me . I am thinking about metamorphosis and animals that represent change. Also tenderness and vulnerability, which is always summed up neatly in a baby anything (except for maybe a honey badger - I bet those things are fierce as heck from the first breath!) Our lives, our world, is in flux, and painting hopeful images of creatures that embrace that is peaceful to me. Sort of my way of putting my head in the sand. So here is your art therapy for today. Thanks for following along with my painting journey, Kim

IN PROCESS, WORKING TITLE "Cygnets," 11"x14", acrylics and graphite on stonehenge paper, $399 plus s&h to the first asking nicely. This piece will need to be framed and set behind glass by the buyer. I accept Paypal, venmo, personal checks and payment plans. Purchase inquiries can always come   to me . Every day I get at least one email or message, asking about my process. Which means I must not be doing a good enough job talking about   my online classroom,   where I share all the magic and more. This painting is being filmed as it progresses, and my students will get all the deets about my concept, and see the process from the underpainting to the finishing touches. Plus they get the added benefit of discussion, links to my sources of inspiration, learn what I'm reading and thinking about as I create. If this sounds interesting,   come on over   and join us! Meanwhile, Cygnets should be finished later this week, and I'll get the lesson posted

"Meadow," 18"x24", acrylics and graphite on stonehenge paper, $599 plus s&h to the first asking nicely. This piece will need to be framed and set behind glass by the buyer. I accept Paypal, venmo, personal checks and payment plans. Purchase inquiries can always come   to me . The sun is shining, it's all nice and spring-green outside, except for the snow falling. Big, fat flakes. I'm in denial inside. Thanks for following along with my painting journey, Kim

"Sunrise," 18"x24", acrylics and graphite on stonehenge paper, $599 plus s&h to the first asking nicely. This piece will need to be framed and set behind glass by the buyer. I accept Paypal, venmo, personal checks and payment plans. Purchase inquiries can always come   to me . I've been doing a lot of experimental things in the studio lately, but today I wanted to feel a bit more accomplished. So I set out to finish something that had been started a bit ago. This was the initial study for the   larger 36" x 48" jackrabbit painting   I have in process, but as I worked on her today, she took on a life of her own. She's rather hopeful, just like the promise of a new day. Thanks for following along with my painting journey, Kim

Earlier this month I was pleased to learn that my online vendor was offering cloth facemasks printed with my artwork. What a fantastic way to brighten up an outing! You can order   here   - first choose the image desired (images are grouped by category/subject matter) then the item (facemask). And if you have made a special request for a particular image, I've not forgotten about you - I should get to them this week, and will send you an email when it's completed. Thanks so very much! Studio News from April 2020 Things continue to run smoothly here at the Santini's. The girls are done with their online courses, as last week was final exams, so we have a bit of mad time before summer studies pick up again. We are making the most of the sunshine and the dogs are clocking lots of miles alongside us. I've been working steadily on commissions (thank you so much to those of you who have reached out to start your projects!). I have a wonderful variety of

In honor of what should be Kentucky Derby Week, I am sharing my original equine work, which is something I've done this time every year since 2007. "She Bows Her Head and Honors the Light in All of Us," 24"x30", acrylics on panel, $899 plus s&h. This painting is cleated and wired on the backside, so the buyer has the option of hanging it floating-style on the wall. It can also be framed. I accept Paypal, venmo, personal checks and payment plans. Purchase inquiries can always come   to me . So what does one do after painting the official Derby art (scroll below to see that painting along with a short video about it's making)? Well, I sought a way to paint more expressively, more dynamically, to capture emotion and other sensory responses in my work beyond the mere capture of a scene or object. And that's pretty much what I have been pursuing in the last 5 years. I've studied with some extraordinary creatives, learned how to push my materials