We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful KATHLEEN KINKOPF. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with KATHLEEN below.
KATHLEEN, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
Over the years, I have have acquired a variety of creative skills and capabilities, some out of curiosity, some out of necessity. These skills have enabled me to make a living as a creative entrepreneur and have supported me through a career challenges and opportunities. My education and professional background are in graphic design, branding, and illustration. Between assignments and deadlines, this journey allowed me to finance the path that eventually led me to becoming a full-time studio artist. Over time, I built a body of work which led to show participation, gallery representation, and ultimately to my painting practice today.
Early in my design career, I produced my first solo exhibition at an art center in Dallas, (without a clue as to how to put one together.) I was completely taken aback and thrilled with the response and sold out show! I relocated to Colorado, soon after, and opened a gallery (again, with which I had no experience), and exhibited my pastel paintings to the public. As my work evolved and matured, I began painting in acrylic on canvas and garnered a commercial job that commissioned me to paint 120 very large canvases for a national restaurant chain over a 2.5 year period. I developed my skill as a painter, and made an effort to evolve with a more conceptual and painterly approach in the process. My dream came to fruition when I was then invited to exhibit my work in a Santa Fe gallery. Santa Fe, a premier arts center and home to some of the finest artists and galleries on the planet, put my work on the world stage. Having 3 creative careers to juggle for many years was pretty challenging, but I enjoyed the variety and feel they fed off of each other in a positive way over the years. My unique journey has presented unimaginable opportunities, challenges, and experiences, and has introduced me to amazing art, artists, and collectors, some of whom have also become life-long friends,
I believe fate takes us on the path where we are meant to travel. Yes, I would like to have made some different decisions in the past, but who knows where that would’ve led me? I wish I had a more formal painting education and art exposure early on, but I’ve learned so much on this self-imposed journey of trial, error, failures, and occasional successes, for which I am grateful. Like many artists, I am self-taught, which can be challenging, but which is mostly rewarding. Besides the gift I have been given, my innate curiosity, chance-taking, and a love for learning led me here. I feel there is still a long path ahead to explore, experience new opportunities, meet new people, and continually to grow as an artist and creator.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My education and professional background are in graphic design, branding, and illustration. Over time, between assignments and deadlines, this path granted financial stability, which allowed me to build a body of work along the way. This eventually led to shows, representation, and ultimately to my full-time studio painting practice today.
Some highlights that impacted my fine art career were varied and challenging, some successful, and some just stepping stones. I produced my first solo exhibition at an art center in Dallas (without a clue as to how to put one together.) I was completely taken aback and thrilled with the response and sales! I relocated to Colorado, soon after, and opened a gallery (again, with which I had no experience), and exhibited my pastel paintings to the public. As my work evolved and matured, I began painting in acrylic on canvas and finally got to the point where I felt my work was ready for gallery representation. My dream came to fruition when I was invited to exhibit my work in a Santa Fe gallery. Santa Fe, a premier arts center and home to some of the finest artists and galleries on the planet, put my work on the world stage.
One thing I have observed over the years about my work is the connection it has with the viewer — be it playful, emotional, or spiritual. It can be a deep or quiet connection. I usually work in sets of series. Some series are dark and dramatic, and others are bright and lively. While the concepts connect to each other within a series of works, with sometimes a departure from the previous series or next one, they all share a common thread of voice and imagination. That thread, sometimes called “Magical Realism”, weaves a tapestry of wonder, spirit, and visual storytelling, set on a glorious stage of nature, with women and animals as the primary characters.
One specialty I enjoy outside of my own series or concepts, whether for myself or an exhibition, is doing painting commissions. I enjoy working with someone closely to create a one-of-a-kind painting that may reflect someone dear to them, a time in their own life, their pets, or a story of themselves or their passions, expressed through realistic representation, symbols, color, and iconography. My specialty practice is called, “Legacy Commissions” for which I have been creating unique works for clients for over 25 years. My experience with deadlines, research, and detail, combined with my painting capabilities, come together seamlessly to offer a professional and fulfilling experience for the client. I truly enjoy the collaboration process, working closely with them, through input, discussion, reference, and suggestions, which ultimately creates a visual story that honors their unique legacy. [See ‘Legacy Commissions’ tab on my website.]
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Choosing the artist’s life is challenging. So much can get in the way—like raising a family, illness, caring for a parent or souse, or personal finances, to name a few. Everyday challenges can make it sometimes make it nearly impossible to pursue art or create work consistently. Many don’t have an opportunity to pursue their art calling until later in life. Some, not at all, even though it still lives inside of them. When one does commit to being an artist, the financial rewards can be great, intermittent. or plain awful. It is so easy to be crushed with a bad review, negative comments, rejected from a show or competition, or have slow/no sales. It’s natural for artists to attach themselves to their work, so all the glorious moments can evaporate in a flash. But persist, we do, and must.
I’ve had a lot of hills, valleys, off-ramps, and dead ends, but the most challenging time in my career was during the 2008 financial crisis. Prior to that, I was enjoying a long period as a successful full-time painter, with loyal collectors, sellout shows, and regular commissions–‘living the dream’, as they say. But, when things crashed in 2008, the world stopped turning for most artists. Overnight, orders and sales were cancelled, many galleries closed, and trucks showed up with unsold art. It took many years for the art world to recover, on so many levels. At this point, I had to act quickly to survive. I had been out of the graphic design business for some time, so I was no longer skilled or competitive. I didn’t have the qualifications to get a job in the business like before. I had no financial fallback. In order to survive, I forged on out of necessity and adrenaline, taking numerous Adobe software and marketing course to get up to speed. It was difficult at first, but it woke up my design brain, I developed new skills, which I actually enjoyed, and developed my graphic design practice. I had no clients, but had some great connections and lots of support in the community. Looking back was not an option, so I continued my design practice for 10 years. While it offered stability, my eye was still on the prize— painting full time again. It was worth the wait.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I’m in my own bubble most of the time when I’m creating work. It can be somewhat isolating. Before I begin painting, I do lots of research to develop concepts and find reference materials. Research is very time-consuming, but necessary, before I begin a new piece. I’ve evolved and developed this process over the years as a foundation and methodology, but never a formula. Each piece has its own unique process to reach its final concept. Research and reading keeps me somewhat connected to the outside world and involves researching symbols and objects, reading about history or other cultures, or immersing myself into understanding the depths of self and spirituality. So, I always come across some good articles, books, or podcasts. But, by far, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is connecting with people through my work, whether online or in person, and the emotional response it can evoke. Sometimes they see things I never considered, or it stirs something personal deep within them. It’s truly miraculous how art affects a person. I humbly consider myself a creative conduit, which gives me a sense of purpose and satisfaction. As stated on my website: “I don’t create art for myself. I create art for someone I’ve yet to meet.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kinkopfstudios.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathleenkinkopf/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathleen.kinkopf/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleenkinkopf/
Image Credits
All images are photographed by Kathleen Kinkopf, artist.