All Categories - Kim McDonald Studios

An Adventure!

7/18/2018

Hello there!! I hope that you are enjoying July, where ever you are.

I’ve been receiving your emails and messages, mostly with questions about my absence lately. Thank you, so much, for letting me know that I’ve been missed! So, something is brewing in the wings my sweeties!

I have a new studio space, locally, that is a big step up (with plumbing, heat AND A/C!!!). So for the past weeks life has been a bit of a jumble, between packing, on my end, while they have been trying to get large equipment out of the space. Road blocks galore!! It’s kind of like running in quicksand. You get the picture. Everything, on their end should be thumbs up by the end of the month. Then time to move.

OH, but there’s more…

Well, the studio space is just below an unfinished studio apartment. For the most part it’s finished, but needs door knobs, molding, etc. It’s been kind of a catch all storage space for years. They are hoping to use it for out of town guests and/or possibly as a short stay rental. The bulk of what is left to do is to bring in some furnishings and then…Decorate. They've asked if I'd like to take it on.

Does that sound like a good YouTube channel to you?

Good, because I’m already packing. Oh, I forgot to tell you the twist… I’ll be living in it during the remodel.

Talk soon!
Kim XOXO

Selling Your Art Online

11/29/2017

“Hi Kim, I’ve been pouring for a couple months now and have a ton of finished canvases! I’ve decided to sell my paintings online. Should I build my own website or go through a site like Etsy?.........Can you give me any advice on how to charge for my paintings?”

This is a really hard question to answer.

For most of us, it took years of research to not only grow as an artist (meaning a constant improving of my knowledge of, and the quality of my art…my substrates, paints, additives, sealing and curing). All the while researching the online art world. Do you want to go through a hosted website, where you basically upload images of your art, and send it off when someone buys it? Then yes, I would head straight for Etsy. I personally chose to host my own website because, for me, it was a great base to start from (and always point traffic back to). It grows as I do. If I should decide to go through another side site (and I am on a few), I’m always still referring people back to my website as well. Then whether the “side sites” end up working for me, or not, I still have my Online Base of Operations.

As far as determining what you will sell your pieces for, opens up an even bigger box of questions... but my top two are:

What level quality paints and canvases are you using? Was it a bulk pack of four for $3 at the local craft store, or a gallery wrapped artist quality canvas? Are you using low grade, medium, or high grade acrylics?

How did you seal it…Is your piece archival? If you don’t know what that is, here is a great explanation… https://kristenoneillart.com/archival/

These are just a few things that can determine the worth/value of a piece.

I would also suggest researching other artists that are selling works comparable to yours… in style, canvas sizes, finishes, and quality of paints. See, not what they are listing them for… but rather what they are selling for.

In the art world, I have come across different explanations and formulas for pricing paintings. I finally chose square inch pricing for myself, as it seems to work the best for me as a starting place. It also keeps your prices more uniform.
Square inch pricing: width x height = _____ x $ = _____.

In the end, there really aren’t any quick and fast answers, just due diligence. I wish you only the best for your new endeavor! The hard work really does pay off.

Thanks for your questions!! This makes blogging SO MUCH easier!

XOXO
Kim

This one is for my YouTube Subscribers!

8/31/2017

Lately I’ve had a hard time coming up with something to “blog” about. I wonder what you want to know. What you would be interested in hearing about. On the personal side, I was a radio announcer for many years. I went on to become a corporate large events coordinator, in Seattle, WA. It was about that time that I began my journey with fluid acrylics. The vibrations of rich colors just resonate with me, so it was a match made in heaven.
Flash forward, to present day (10 years later), and here I am stepping into the epoxy resin world (and obviously gaga for anything that I can get my hands on from ArtResin). Although, I believe that everything happens for a reason (and in its own time), if you had told me a couple of years ago that I would be creating art videos for YouTube, I would have laughed my ass off.
It’s been an amazing, hectic, lesson-filled ride so far, but it’s still like Christmas morning each time I finish editing that next video. I’ve done the smart thing and monetized my channel. It doesn’t bring in much, but I thought it would be a good way to help with studio supplies or maybe saving up for wish list items. I just got my first check from YouTube and it was enough to buy a small miter saw! That is going to make it a lot easier (and cheaper) for me to make my own wood canvases!
So, I guess what I would like to say, more than anything, is THANK YOU to anyone who has watched any of my videos… “Liked” any of my videos… anyone who has clicked on an ad, shared a video, clicked on an Amazon link…. Whatever… it’s all helping to make this happen. Sounds weird to say it but… each of those little things is changing a life. Mine. So, I will never be able to thank you enough!
Hey! I also need ideas from you for videos. I always have a handful of projects going on that I can video…but do you have a request? I’m not sure that any of my subscribers would be interested in how I make my canvases, when they’re tuning in to see a flip cup or resin pour. I’ll keep doing those for sure, but requests are definitely helpful.
Here are a couple of shots of recent pieces that I have been working on…

And, as always, thank you, for your support.
XOXO

Kim

ArtResin & Co.

8/2/2017

So, here I sit after all of these months/years of research, watching resin art videos at all ours... etc. You get the point. Then just as I'm applying my acquired knowledge of fluid resin art into my own art..... here comes this B*tch, who lets out ALL of the main top points, all in one list. Damn it.

Actually, her "Oh Sh*t" videos are hilarious and contain some really great resin art making tips.

I haven't met Patty, in person, but I've decided that we're friends.

If you're new to the epoxy resin world, and a lot of people are, now that there are companies like ArtResin putting out far superior product with NO fumes, zero VOC's, and extra protection from UV rays. It's a new world in the fluid art community. This is a game changer.

And, as if that weren't already enough, they go a step further and draw you into their ArtResin world by keeping diary-like YouTube videos, where you learn something new, get tips, and get to know the people behind the company. Genuine, is the word that I think of in relation to the style with which they market their company.

Check out their YouTube channel, by clicking on Patty below...

Kim oxox

I'm Still Here

7/25/2017

Where have I been? Good question. Losing my mind mostly. I joke! Actually, it’s been a good kind of crazy around here. Since I began posting videos of my art making on YouTube a couple of months ago, it’s been an adventure to say the least. Suddenly I’m “talking” to people all over the world! People with questions about a certain technique, or someone wanting to know the difference between this additive and that additive. You get the idea. But more than anything (and I wasn’t prepared for this) I get tons of questions regarding the different materials I use, and where I get them from. I started sending people links and it kind of snowballed from there, until someone told me that I should sign up as an affiliate/associate for some of the companies that I order from. After doing my due diligence research, it quickly became clear that it would mean building onto my website and creating a hub of sorts where people could just hit the link to the product that they’re inquiring about and zing, they’re there. And I’ll tell ya… it has been a lot of work… and I’ve already had to expand one area... the Amazon area. As I’ve been receiving a lot of inquiries from Canada, and a few from the UK, it made sense to add a couple of extra pages for them as well. Now anyone wanting to get their hands on that double barreled torch that I love so much can pick one up with just a click… as long as they’re from the USA, Canada, or UK. It’s all in the Art Supplies Links page on my website.

I’ve been branching out in the studio as well. Experimenting with Yupo paper (and I’m a tad addicted), and even getting my feet wet, so to speak, by jumping into the Epoxy Resin world. And just about all of these little experiments and adventures have been made into videos for YouTube. It’s kind of crazy. I would think that someone like me would be better off making videos doing things that I have a lot of experience with… like layering pouring medium and acrylics… but NO, almost every video I’ve done is a first time experiment of some kind… with the added bonus twist of possible and complete failure. Not to mention that a lot of them have “gone left” while taping, and it’s me just giggling and trying to salvage a project. Most days it works. Not all days. I learn from each of these encounters and I think that’s why I share them. Because it’s all a learning process for me as well… and if I can learn from my mistakes… maybe someone else can get something out of it as well. In the end I really feel that if any of my videos inspire someone to create art…. Ahhhhhh, now that’s the coolest thing ever.

And here are the links to my Art Supplies lists.....

Just click on the flag that represents your country

YouTube University

5/28/2017

When people ask if I went to school to become an artist, I answer them honestly. No. I didn’t start painting until later in life. I was immediately attracted to acrylics and the variety of ways it can be used (from a watercolor look to an oil look), and the fact that it was water based.
I started combing YouTube for inspiration. There weren’t a lot of “fluid artists” at that time. The first YT artist that inspired me was Gary Reef. He’s a mixed media artist from Australia that I found about 9 years ago (this guy is an artistic maniac with a bazillion ideas). There is a painting that I did based on a technique that I learned from him that, years later, became one of four art pieces chosen by a winery and displayed on their bottles in 2015. Around the same time I found Gary, I also found a video titled: “Acrylics & Alcohol don't mix, or do they?”, posted by: 48hlc48. That video really inspired me, and away I went with my acrylics and isopropyl alcohol.

There were other YT artists along the way that have really inspired me… Michele Theberge, Glenn Farquhar (artfusion1), and a long list of others. I continued to paint “without a brush”, and even began to sell my art. I ravaged the internet for any and all information that I could get regarding selling art, how to price it (not any easy answer), building websites, reviewing photo editing programs, how to photograph art, etc. So, up until 2017 most all of my works are single color layered pours, with Liquitex pouring medium, and sometimes alcohol.
It wasn’t until early this year that I discovered Annemarie Ridderhof on YouTube. Her videos reignited that flame in me, in a big way. I’ve begun doing dirty pours and having a blast at it. I still manipulate the pours in the same ways that I’ve always done, but with really amazing results using Floetrol instead of (and along with) pouring medium. I feel like a kid in a candy store. Endless happy possibilities.
When I began filming my pours a couple of months ago, I really planned to do just a couple. I was excited to have a way to show my friends, family, and clients how my art “happens”. To be honest, I really didn’t think about people subscribing to my channel. Pretty early on I started to get comments from people subscribing to my channel asking for more. Seriously? Ok! So I put some effort into making my channel look better and have begun spending a lot of time filming pours (whether the pieces worked out or not), and editing and uploading video to YT. It’s really been a learning experience for me and I’m loving every minute of it.
As of the writing of this blog I have over 850 subscribers and almost 30,000 views. WOW! Who would have thunk it!!? Right now I’m just feeling very blessed and trying hard to keep up. It’s getting a tad expensive so I’ve cut back to around one video per week, until I can afford more supplies and step it up. I’ve also followed Annemarie’s lead and set up a donation button on my channel. I’m not promoting it very heavily but hoping that a few people may see it and donate a few bucks for paint, and other supplies needed in the production of the videos. Also making a list of things to add in the future, to make them better… more lighting etc. So, welcome to my adventure! It’s busy, crazy, and so rewarding.

Thank you, for any and all support.

Kim OXOX

If you would like to check out my TY channel....

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjkxqf_X47JQQFja-VaQzAg/

The Addiction to the Pour

4/17/2017

Recently, experiencing one of life’s many landmines, I lost the transmission in my car, and am currently dealing with the fallout of that… and the immediate breaks put on any current or foreseeable feature funds for art supplies. Thankfully, I bought 3 gallons of Floetrol before that fateful day. On the flip-side, I’m going through an amazing time in the studio. As an artist I’m experiencing a next level kind of feeling. While I’ve been pouring acrylics for some time, most of my experience is working with soft body acrylics and Pouring Medium. It’s been my go-to base. While I would constantly experiment, it was time usually spent on different forms of acrylics, acrylic inks, etc., but always with PM as my base. Depending on the pour, this little amazing miracle would sometimes happen in my paintings. I don’t know how I did them, but I was always ecstatic when they would show up. Cells.

Since then I’ve found out, there are people who have a “thing” for the pattern of colorful cells… and some people that don’t get it. I’m a member of the first club. For the past couple of weeks I have been experimenting with paint additives like Floetrol (latex paint additive) and silicone. These additives, if mixed correctly, can greatly improve any acrylic pour artists’ chances of creating major cells.

I find the act of looking at pour art, especially with beautiful patterns of cells, is like a meditation of sorts for me. It’s relaxing to run my eyes over a flowing landscape of moving color. It’s also a meditation to watch the birth of the piece. The show begins the moment the paint first touches the surface, and you watch as it continues and spreads. And you get to help, by tilting or moving the canvas/board, until all of the exposed surfaces (sides too) are completely covered. When the general form of your project gets to a point where you are happy with the look of it, it’s time to step back and study it…. There’s more to it, but every step of the process is a part of the dance. For someone who’s never done or seen a pour in progress, one might think that the show would now be over, right? NOPE. There’s one more part to the process, and that part is what I call the “Christmas Morning Affect”. The CM Affect happens because you’re working with fluid materials. This is the part that, I believe, is somehow attractive to the “gambler” inside of us, because you truly never know what you’re going to get, once it’s dried. A dog hair could blow into it and dry there… Or, your paints could have been a tad thin, and now the really pretty and crisp designs that were there at the time of the pour are now gone, and all you have left is a muddy dried mess. But when you wake up to find that it all dried beautifully and “intact”, you would swear that you could actually hear the “Hallelujah Chorus” blasting in the background.

Definitely more to come….

XOXO
Kim

New Friends, New Horizons

3/19/2017

There's A LOT going on all of a sudden. I feel a strange new attention being paid to pour art, on more than one level. There’s a crackling energy in the air, producing an all new high in the number of people who practice the art of acrylic pour. There is also an uptrend in interest by the general public to learn this “fun”, “magical”, and almost instantly gratifying way of artful expression. There has also been a recent explosion of “pour” videos on YouTube to support this.

I’ve always been artistic. I’ve always had to have some kind of artistic outlet in progress, from crocheting to pyrography but I didn't settle into my favorite medium (acrylic pouring) until I entered my 40's…and the love affair began. I consider myself a student of the art. Although I began selling my pieces almost 10 years ago, the truth is… there are a bazillion ways to achieve a pour, and there’s always something new to try out, so it’s a constant learning process. My primary focus, until now, has been in acrylic soft paints and acrylic inks mixed with Pouring Medium. I would prime my canvas/wood panel and pour a piece layer by layer. Each layer would generally be what I call a “dirty-one-color” pour. This is… Pouring medium, in a cup, add your color to each cup… with minimal mixing. This method leaves vibrant areas and clear areas. As you progress through each separate pour (and a week or more curing before next pour) each layer progresses and fills in. It adds a neat depth to each piece. Here is an example…

“Candy Skies” ~ 2/2016
Acrylic inks and pouring medium on wood panel
26 1/2”x 30” (60.5 cm x 72 cm)

Now, all of a sudden, people are asking ME questions. “What kind of paint did you use?”, “How much paint do you add to each cup?”…. “How come my painting cracked while it dried?”. I keep thinking…”but I’m just a student!”... And then I find that, hey!... I actually know the answers to some of these questions! It’s kind of overwhelming, but I’m having a blast. And my new venture into making videos of pours? This was spurred on by my discovery of Annemarie Ridderhof videos on YouTube. If you’ve seen any of her videos then you know that she generally just records the actual act of pouring… instead of taping herself doing a pour. It’s like she made it okay for me to just tape the pour, while not having to have myself in the picture… which is the main reason I’ve never tried it before. My first try came out a bit longer than I expected. I even catch myself jumping forward to see the end result. But, I’m hoping the “boring stuff” in the middle may be important to someone who’s maybe newer to the process. The torching, the covering of corners and edges… it’s all a part of the process, and an important part of how it’s done. I also want to bring up the biggest truth about acrylic pouring art… It’s 90% prep and 10% magic. There is a LOT of “boring” before the reveal. But for some of us… that little 10% of magic is all the motivation we need to start to organize and prep for the next pour.

So, if you are here because you like my art, because you want to learn more about acrylic pouring , or because you're FRamily and feel a need to follow out of loyalty, THANK YOU. You're support means everything to me.

XOXO

Kim

Just Unthawing

3/13/2017

So! It’s been a while. The past couple of months it’s been like the North Pole where I live. Ok, I exaggerate. I will just say that I’ve never seen a winter like it here in my life. With those temperatures it’s been hard to come out to the studio. Can’t burn because the base wood temps just cool down my burning tips. Couldn’t pour paint because… well, temps. Now everything is soggy and wet and gray…BUT…it’s warmer. So, back to the studio I go. I have continued learning my new craft over the winter… pyrography (that always makes me giggle, it was “woodburning” in my day). I am currently working on one large piece, and do smaller/easier pieces on the side. Here is a video of my progress to date on the large piece. It’s a table insert done on hickory wood, which is VERY hard. Maybe too hard a wood for someone as new as I am, but it’s begun and I WILL finish it.

Last week I ended up with a bad case of the stomach flu. While in bed for 3 days what else is one to do, but end up binge watching Netflix or streaming videos on YouTube? I generally opt for YouTube. I always find so much inspiration there.

I must preface the coming story and say that while I’ve been pouring acrylics for 8-9 years now…. There have been a LOT of advancements. When I pour I use pouring medium and acrylic paints or acrylic inks. It’s a thick pour process, done in layers. There are different techniques that I use with that, but you’ve got the general idea. I still cruise YouTube, for inspirations in color choices or new techniques to try. Every once in a while I would see a new video here and there… usually by Michele Theberge. What I didn’t know was that in the past little bit, there has been an explosion in acrylic pour as an art medium on YouTube. And leading the charge is Annemarie Ridderhof. I watched and re-watched her videos for three days. Everything that she does is familiar to me… except that she uses one ingredient that I’ve never tried… silicone. When mixed with acrylic paints (then poured and sometimes “swiped”) the paints bloom into beautifully colored and contained cells. I’ve had cells pop up in my works before (and have always LOVED them) but you can’t MAKE them happen... or can you? When you mix silicone correctly with acrylics and water you can. I’m now so excited to try a new step in my painting process that I’m just bursting! It’s the Acrylic Pour Jones. Anyone who’s poured can tell you it’s real. Lol. Thankfully, Annemarie has started an amazing group on FB, and I am now in contact with people, all over the world, who are as addicted to “pouring” as I am. Here are a couple of postcards of (parts) of a painting that I did, a while back, that had a small amount of cell action in different areas…

The torch and the silicone have been ordered.
And, Away we go!

Kim XOXO

PS ~ If you enjoy watching the process of fluid art, then please check out some of Annemarie's videos on her YouTube channel (you never know, you may become an Acrylic Pour Addict as well): https://www.youtube.com/user/woodypoo .

These are the kinds of cells that Annemarie Ridderhof gets.....

Pyrography 101

8/9/2016

Over the past couple of months it’s been a tad hot to spend much time in the studio. So, with 100+ degree temperatures, what do I decide to do? Learn the art of Pyrography (aka wood burning). Because I paint on wood panels, it seemed like the perfect accent skill, and I have been interested for a long time in adding some kind of patterning or imaging that I could lay down before the painting process. I started out with a cheap pyrography tool and a few hot tips, and started playing around. Within a week I had to order a more substantial (but still affordable) tool. Practicing on small pieces of wood, I began to get comfortable with the different hot tips and what I was able to do with each of them.

Project 1 - freehand

I am now a little bit addicted to this new form of expression. I say “new” because I’ve never tried it before in my life, and once I got started I found that almost everyone I knew had tried wood burning at one time or another (usually during childhood). How have I not tried this before?

After a couple of weeks of dabbling and playing I finally felt ready to attempt the real reason for learning to burn… something on a bigger scale. So, last night I began. First with a projected image and sketching with pencil to get the basic design, then moved on to the outline burning of the design. And this is where we're at. The outline burn is done, now for the shading and detail burning.

Yes, addicted would be the word. Stay tuned. Should be interesting.

xoxo

Kim

The Art Table

4/19/2016

A couple of years ago, when I made the change from canvas to wood panels it solved one big problem, then created a few new ones. Because my painting methods are so wet, even deep gallery canvases would warp. With the change to wood that problem was solved immediately, and I liked the presentation and visual weight that it gave to my work. The new problem was that I didn’t have a proper surface to set the panels, where they would be: 1) Level, 2) able to catch run-off paint, and 3) at a proper height that wouldn’t kill my back. Problem number three has been my biggest issue. Because the paint needs to run over the edges, to achieve the look that I want, I had to keep them low to the ground, propped up on blocks, buckets, or whatever else I could think of. Once I pour a layer of color, I lift, turn, and hold the panels to change the direction of the paint and make sure that the entire layer is evenly distributed… and this has been taking a big toll on my lower back. I began to imagine a table that could do all of those things for me… Something that would catch over-spill, something that would stay level (so it would cure evenly), and something high enough that I wouldn’t have to bend over and strain to hold the panels. It all started with couch legs. You know, the kind you can buy on Amazon and screw into the bottom of your couch. Soon a picture started to come together in my head… I could screw the couch legs into a wood panel… the panel would need edges to catch the over-spill… Long story short, this is what I eventually came up with.

I was pretty sure of the general dimensions that I would need. I paint on panels that are roughly 20”x 30” to 30”x 40” (and 1 ½” thick), so after adding a few inches in all directions I came up with 40” x 50”. With this basic diagram I went to see my friend Pat (carpenter). I showed him my plans and asked if it was doable. He looked them over, asked me a few additional questions, including how I needed this table to work for me. He said yes, I ordered the couch legs, and here we are. I got my baby A couple of weeks ago, and it has been a dream come true. Pat put some really great design into this. He built it so that, if need be, I can detach the top from the legs. Also, he designed the legs so that they are really sturdy without being big chunks of heavy wood.
Thank you Pat!

Kim

Back in the Studio... With Acrylic Inks!

4/4/2016

Getting back into the studio over the past couple of months has been so rewarding. I’ve been playing with acrylic inks (mixed with my standard pouring medium) and feeling more and more as if I am getting to “that place”. That place where what I visualize in my head actually translates into my works. Here are a few recent examples…

Pastel Smoke was the first.
26.6”x 30” Acrylics on wood panel (1.5” deep) 2/2016

Up next was Candy Skies.
26.6”x 30” Acrylics on wood panel (1.5” deep) 2/2016

I had been playing around with other mixes and got to where I felt pretty comfortable with what I could do with the inks. Candy Skies was my first true experience with straight acrylic ink and pouring medium.
Trust me, those pigments go a longgggg way.

The next, where I experimented with mixing some more opaque colors against clear pouring medium, was Sienna Skies (clearly named after the beautiful Burnt Sienna acrylic ink that I’d just received that day!).
26.6”x 30” Acrylics on wood panel (1.5” deep) 3/2016

These are all painted on a hollow core 1 ½” thick wood panel.
For the local peeps, these pieces are currently on display at Betterwood Designs, on the corner of Washington and Kennewick Ave., in downtown Kennewick.
I can’t wait to finish another one.

Kim xoxo

Hello From the Studio

11/12/2015

Less than two weeks until my artist reception at Goose Ridge, and I’m busy at work in the new studio space. If it’s possible, I can see my works getting even bolder. It’s a heady feeling working with these pieces and I can’t wait to share them. I’m also finding that the details are very hard to photograph and that they’re much more expressive in person.

Since I’ve begun to paint on wood panels it’s been freeing in a big way. My technique is so fluid that it’s hard to paint on normal framed canvas, as they tend to warp. Now, I can spend more time on the actual painting process without the worry. The down side? The panels can be heavy/bulky and can give you a real workout. But then again… how can that be a bad thing right?
If you have (somehow) not yet experienced an event put together by Kristine Bono and her staff (Goose Ridge Winery – Richland), you’ve really been missing out…they don’t mess around. I’m excited to see some familiar smiles and enjoy a really great time together. How can you go wrong with art, food, live music, and WINE?!
Here is a copy of the invitation. Everyone is invited!

Kim.

You can also check out the Facebook Invitation at:
https://www.facebook.com/events/151534085196391/

Goose Ridge Winery Fall 2015 Artist Series Release

10/6/2015

Sunday morning I woke up to a sunny fall sky, the perfect beginning to what ended up being an amazing day. I arrived at Goose Ridge Winery (Richland tasting room) just after 10 am. The event didn’t kick off until 11 am, but the place was buzzing with happy smiling people. It was the Wine Club’s Fall Art Series release party. Two bottles, one a Bordeaux blend (“Iris”), and the other a blend of Syrah and Mourvedre (“Wave”)… both excellent! Each wine had food pairings, including (but definitely not limited to) spice-rubbed tri-tip beef, stuffed mushrooms, crostini with brie and caramelized onion and a balsamic drizzle… these people do not mess around!
Once the event began you could hear the lovely sound of Latin-jazz floating lightly through the air, leading you to the back patio area, where Eddie Manzanares was singing, and playing beautiful guitar. Members of the Monson family were also present, along with hundreds of people, out enjoying a beautiful day with a glass (or two) of great wine. The event was scheduled to end at 2pm, but I was still signing bottles at 3pm, and the party was still going by the time I had to leave! Great job to everyone involved!
When I was first approached by a member of the Goose Ridge Winery staff, in 2013, regarding their Annual Artist Series, and asked if I would be interested in showcasing my art on their wine labels, I truly didn’t know what to say (besides, Hell yes!). Goose Ridge Winery supports local artists... this impressed me. After looking up past artists that had graced the bottles of previous years, frankly, I was a little intimidated. And 2015? It seemed so far away. And here it is, and there it went. In the end, I’m nothing but grateful and honored to have had this opportunity, and would like to thank Kristine Bono and her staff, the Monson family, and everyone from the Wine Club who have shown such support for my work.

Click on images to enlarge

Goose Ridge

4/3/2015

Now that things have calmed down a bit. I would really like to say that I am so honored that Goose Ridge Estate and Winery has chosen to highlight my art on this year’s Artist Series Spring and Fall bottles. The Spring bottle unveiling, that took place on Sunday, March 22nd, was an amazing event. I got to meet last year’s highlighted artist, Dan Ostergaard (whose photography is truly inspiring), along with the two wine makers on hand, Andrew Wilson and Kristen Scheeler. Let me just say… they KNOW what they’re doing. The Richland tasting room is such a beautiful place with a really great staff, and we lucked out with really good weather that day. Last, but not least, I would like to send a sincere “Thank you” to Jenn Nance, who was the catalyst for the whole thing, and the reason that my artwork is on Goose Ridges bottles.

My Friend Crystal

1/20/2015

Outside of the arena of painting and art, something has been weighing deeply on my mind. I found out, just a few short weeks ago, that one of the sweetest people that I know is diagnosed with breast cancer. I feel helpless. I hate feeling helpless. What can you do when you’re given information like this? What do you say (or not say)?

My friend’s name is Crystal Gray and she’s currently at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Arizona. While I’ve watched her Facebook page for updates, I’ve also tried to keep in touch, without overstepping.

I’ve never been through this. What’s the protocol when a dear friend is diagnosed with Cancer? Crystal is receiving incredible support from her family and friends, along with excellent medical care from the staff at CTCA. She is being so positive and strong, and I admire her for that.

I’ve been slightly stressed that my hair is getting way out of control and badly needs a cut. How does this relate you ask? Crystal is my Hair Stylist EXTRAORDINAIRE, and the only person who is allowed to touch my hair. During one of our recent chats Crystal gave me a reference to another Stylist, but I just couldn’t get myself to make the call.

Today we found out that Crystal’s surgery went well and that she will not be going through Chemo after all. (I'm so relieved). But the fight is not over.

In light of what she and her family have been going through my hair and hairstyling seems trivial as hell, so I’ve decided to not have my hair cut by anyone else, and wait until Crystal is healthy and cancer free.

I’ve also decided that when that time comes to cut my hair I will donate it to The Pantene Beautiful Lengths program.

“Beautiful Lengths is a partnership between Pantene® and the American Cancer Society®, the largest nonprofit health organization committed to saving lives from every cancer and improving the quality of life for people facing the disease. The role of Pantene is to help women grow long, strong, beautiful hair and to provide the funds to turn this hair into free, real-hair wigs for women with cancer. So far, Pantene has donated 24,000 free real-hair wigs to the American Cancer Society’s wig banks, which distribute wigs to cancer patients across the country.”

The more quickly we get our Crystal back, the shorter my hair will be!

Please send good vibrations and prayers for Crystal’s speedy recovery as she kicks Cancer’s ass.

-Kim

The Wine Project. And the Winery is....

12/22/2014

It was at this time, last year, that I was at a Holiday Party at a local winery. At the beginning of the evening I'd had a brief conversation with the manager about a piece of art there, that I was in love with. She explained that it was made by a local area artist. I explained that I paint and that I was very drawn to the piece because it held a lot of the same colors and tones that I gravitate to. She said she'd love to see something of mine, so I gave her my card, which contains a picture of "Serendipity". A few hours later, as I was leaving, she waved me over to the bar., and as I approached she was setting out and arranging little pieces of paper. They were printouts of my works from my website! And that's when it all started. She began to explain that the winery selects a local area artist each year, and displays their artwork on select wine bottle labels, in a four bottle series (2 Spring, 2 Fall). As it was obviously late in the year, and the 2014 Artist had been chosen and in place for some time, they asked if I would be the Artist for 2015. The four paintings were decided upon by the winery a few months ago and the labels are in production as we speak. Although we've all had to be hush-hush about the details, including which of my works that they have chosen, I am now at least able to announce the name of the winery and a little information. And the winery is... Goose Ridge Estate Vineyard & Winery! They are shooting for the end of February-beginning of March (Wow... that would be a great birthday present!) for the launch and reveal at the Wine Club Release. I will definitely keep you posted. Hurry up 2015!
As for 2014...
May I wish you, and yours, only best of Holidays and the happiest of New Years.
Your support means so very much. Thank you.

Kim xoxo

The Install...

12/20/2014

"Threshold" was installed at it's home Saturday. A cloudy, rainy day... and I was getting toward the end of what, I thought, had been a somewhat hectic day. I sent a text to my client, Brenda, to see what time her party was wrapping up (We had scheduled the install on the same day that she was having a few of her young daughter's friends over, for a little Holiday gathering). So, she tells me that the party is just wrapping up, and we schedule the delivery and install for an hour and a half later. Fast forward to an hour an a half later. I've texted her, to let her know that I'm on my way. As I pull onto her cul-de-sac I notice something strange right away. I couldn't see her house... at all! It's pitch dark out, no street lights, and her house is tucked back into serious foliage. None the less, I managed to back up her driveway, to the garage door (like a BOSS, with only my side mirrors available to me - as the art was blocking my rear-view mirror). I walk around, to the front door, and I'm telling you... pitch black darkness. I reach, for what I think looks like the doorbell. It worked. Whew. After a few moments the door begins to open...slowly. And it keeps opening... slowly, and there's no one there... and, there's still no one there. Then, just as the door was so close to the wall that I was sure there couldn't be room for any human body (and I was about the shriek and run) Jocelyn (Brenda's daughter) quietly pops her head out (and Cindy Lou Who has nothing on this cutie). As I breath a sigh of relief, and try not to laugh, I see Brenda coming toward the entryway...with bed head and crooked glasses (they were so pooped after the party that they had passed out on the couch). As I entered the large living area it became clear that this hadn't been just few little kids... try 10! And, you could just tell by the amazing trays and plates of treats galore piled up, there had to be some sugar rushing, jacked up kiddies running around somewhere lose in the city. And after all of that, Brenda was even able to snap some of these shots of the install, and is now my hero. I'll be going back as soon as possible (aka - the day that we actually see some sun) to get some better lighted shots.

Thank you ~ Your interest is so appreciated ;-)
Kim xoxo

Reveal! - Threshold

12/15/2014

Finished! The client has seen it, so now I can share! I learned a lot from this work. The weight of it alone was a new experience...It's a workout, but I'm very happy with the results. NEXT!

"Threshold" - Mixed acrylics on cradled wood panel. - Dimensions: 80"x 30" (6.67 FT x 2.5 FT)

Pieces of Threshold

12/9/2014

While working in the studio tonight, putting the final layer on "Threshold", I couldn't help but sit for a while looking at all of the different little special areas peeking through. Kind of like... the art within the art. So, I took a few shots.... and came up with a whole new piece! of sorts.