Paintings With Soul

  Swallowtail (working title), roughly 10"x12", ink and gouache on watercolor paper, from my new series of drawings, pieces which are pulling me into some powerful places. Last fall I had two pivotal experiences. I took a drawing workshop with   Stuart Shils   and I joined a mentoring group led by   Anne Siems . Stuart's teaching (Reframing the Ordinary) ignited a desire to work in black and white. He showed me how to pare down what I see into exciting compositions without the need of color (I know, life changing and so unexpected!) and encouraged risk taking via drawing exercises. Anne's leadership sparked a volley of ideas based on using drawing as a gateway to break open new ideas. I had worked with Anne in the past and knew she would push me into some exciting territory, but I underestimated the exponential power of the group. I imagine our sessions are much like graduate school, with deep conversations about ideas, methods and materials, as we each search for th...

Sal (Salvatore Doggie, one of my studio dogs) wanted me to you remind you how much you are loved. Today and everyday. Always and forever. Hope you are feeling it. And thank you so much for your interest in my artwork, All my best, warmly, Kim  

  Speciman I, 6-1/2"x9", mixed media on Fabriano paper, collection of the artist. please tell me more about Speciman The onset of a new year is when I love to burrow in with books, blankets and new ideas. The fireplace beckons and the dogs circle, waiting to snuggle in alongside. This year there's been lots of great reads (I am really enjoying my new Kindle) and reflecting (I've filled 2 notebooks already!). This always results in a good amount of new ideas bouncing around. And oddly enough, they have to do with ink and paper. My daily drawing habit has hooked me in - drawing as a warm up for the easel leaves me hungry for more. I found myself lingering at the drawing table longer each day. So I decided to indulge my muse and let her play at the drawing table. This is ok - part of the ebb and flow of being creative. It's an important reminder that not everything I make has to be for sale. When I reflect 2023, I spent too much time focused on deadlines and lost tou...

  January, 9"x12" original embellished monoprint on Fabriano watercolor paper, Available at a future date.   Please reach out  with any questions. inquire about January This last year I have tried to draw every day. Something shifted in November because I began drawing even more earnestly. I stopped thinking of the practice as warmup exercises for my easel time and started fervently exploring complex ideas and processes, allowing the drawings to become something important.  Along the way I discovered how to pull a single print off my drawings. This process is called "monoprinting." January is two monoprints layered, overtop each other (ie printed on the same page). The process of monoprinting, like any other printing process, requires precision. It can also be rather unpredictable. Unlike other printing methods, monoprints create a singular original (hence the "mono" prefix). January is called an embellished monoprint because i have added other, non printe...

  A selection of mixed media drawings ranging in size from 5x7 to 8-1/2x9, all on recycled paper. Priced by size ($85+). Questions can always come  to me. It seems as though Barbiemania has taken over the world. While I have not yet seen the movie (we took in Oppenheimer first and didn't have the stamina to do both this weekend), my kids all did and are strongly encouraging me to go. Little known fact - i don't often go to the movies, nor do I watch much TV. I prefer books and the noise inside my own head, lol. So anyway, I thought it would be fun to indulge even more so in pink for a bit. And given I'm preparing a new fox-centric solo show this fall, I decided that the next batch of warmup drawings would be Barbie pink foxes. These are done on things pulled from my paper recycling bin - a kraft paper colored card envelope (lower left) with a Tomie dePaula stamp (love him!), the inside of security envelopes, and a surface collaged from a notebook page to-do list. You can ...

  Family II, paper roughly 36"x48", mixed media (paint and charcoal), $800 plus s&h   to the first asking nicely . This piece will ship rolled and need to be set behind glass to ensure longevity. I do have a scroll type hanging system for  temporarily use which can be included with the piece at no extra cost. Questions can always come   to me. taking a family portrait can be tricky....   You know, getting everyone to look at the camera and smile simultaneously. No stealth pinches right before the shutter clicks. No bunny ears or duck lips or awkward expressions. No silent but deadly farts (I'm having flashbacks to a particularly hilarious portrait session with my four brothers).  I enjoyed imagining the dialogue between these foxes. Their body language evolved and shifted as their storyline grew over the course of the year that this one was in process. I enjoyed it so much that I stretched another large piece of paper and set myself up for a repeat perf...

  Family, image 33"x45", paper a bit larger, mixed media on paper, $800 plus s&h to   the first asking nicely . Will ship rolled. I can also include a magnetic scroll style hanging system, but recommend ultimately this piece be set behind glass for preservation. And of course, questions can always come   to me. I started 2 of these large scale drawings last year.    They were pinned to my studio wall, and every week or so I'd sit with them for a bit and add marks. The accumulation of layers over time created quite a historied feel to the surface that I quite like. My original intent was to include them in the Fox Medicine show last October, but they had other plans, clearly. One is still in process, but this one, Family, is ready to head out into the world. This is a wonderfully scaled, nuanced and soothing piece. She will be amazing in someone's home or office. Here is the link to purchase . Thanks so much for following along with - and supporting - my art ...

  One of a handful of recycled drawings   currently listed on my website . This one was done on a birthday card envelope and carries hints of my girlfriend's handwriting. With these personal bits of ephemera the work feels more private (at least to me), perhaps because it carries traces of loved ones.  Inquiries are always welcome .  There's a nice selection of drawings I added to my website yesterday.  I am fascinated by how the substrate sort of steers the feel of the work. And how I respond to envelopes/material that has handwriting. Someone else has started the drawing in a way, via the energy of their own script. And while I was thrilled to get some red envelopes in the mail the other day, I am challenged in getting the drawing to pop - nice reminder that red falls at the dark end of the value spectrum, so my drawing/lines need to be at the opposite end. You can   shop available work here . Thanks so much for following along with - and supporting - my ...

  These drawings, all done on recycled materials, are now available   on my website . All because you asked.  when I began doing daily warmup drawings last month I foolishly thought they were just for me But you set me straight. You said you wanted them. And you said "please?" So, a couple times each week you will find a handful of these listed on my website. I'll try to send a newsletter out as well, but I will be be mindful of how many emails we all get on a daily basis. I don't want to contribute to all the noise. I'll pack sales over the weekend and ship early the following week. I cannot guarantee holiday delivery at this point unless priority/overnight shipping is purchased. I will work with those of you who do wish to have your drawings asap, though. And thank you so much for your interest in my work. I continue to be surprised and motivated by your enthusiasm. Click here to view details of each piece and to purchase the available drawings.   PLEASE NOTE: R...

This delightful drawing was left in my classroom - a gift, perhaps?! - during last week's Fine Arts Night at Orion Oaks Elementary School. I adore kids' artwork. They view and process the world through their own filters. A lesson I need to remind myself of over and over and over again. Thanks for sharing my artwork with your friends and family, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com Stuart Shils His work is radically different from mine, landscapes pared almost to abstraction, atmospheric clouds of color that thrill me to no end. I adore the artwork that Stuart Shils creates. A recent article I read quoted him as encouraging artists to study at great length - and then respond to - the world with roots set in an emotional, as opposed to a representational, base. I find regular inspiration and bits of brilliance in his paintings and musings, which can be found on his website .