We recently connected with Kim Eubank and have shared our conversation below.
Kim, 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?
I have been making and selling artwork for 37 years. I started wire wrapping crystals and making beaded jewelry at age 15 in order to buy a car. I graduated from VCU art school in the early 90’s, with honors with a BFA in Jewelry & Glass. I sold my handmade jewelry at regional craft shows to pay for college. My Senior year, I took a sculpture class that would set my artistic path in motion…a circuitous and wonderful journey. I created a “Metal Quilt” which inadvertently launched a successful business that involved my then husband, a full time shop manager and several art assistants. We had a good 15+ year run, weathering the 2008 housing recession, the birth of 2 babies, a major house renovation and a terrible storm that wiped out the enameling studio in the height of the fall show season. Around 2010-2014 my then husband launched a separate illustrative body of work, while I continued to work with enameled copper. It is a toxic process and can cause silicosis, and I wanted to change media- so I played with encaustics (making my own beeswax, printmaking (both intaglio and linocut) which spurred a mixed media series. By 2016, I was divorced and still trying to phase out the Metal Quilt- as I had become more of a business manager and the series was not artistically rewarding or challenging. I was unhappy. I started dating another artist and we created a collaborative metal sculpture body of work that was short lived. We could jury into any show in the country (at the top level of shows- most have 10-15% acceptance rate). It’s like applying to Harvard every season to get the best shows, where you can make some people’s salary in one weekend. However, we lost over 50k because we could not sell the work. I began revisiting some of the ideas from my linocut pop art women series and turned them into mixed media paintings. The ensuing success was a slow burn- but it finally caught. I kept developing the mixed media oil painting body and when my kids started driving- it really gained momentum as I was able to spend 10-12 hour days in the studio. I had my first solo gallery show in Santa Fe last fall and have been incredibly fortunate to jury into the top national art shows; with both a mixed media series and a printmaking series. The 2026 shows have been phenomenally successful- my biggest challenge now is keeping up with the demand.
I have kept growing and changing media and there have been setbacks from having the fully loaded van stolen in 2019, Covid- wherein I had just made a cross country move from VA to NM. I battled major depression and financial setbacks (burned through my life savings, because my only source of income was gone- no shows for over 16 months) and dealing with copycats- but its hard to copy someone who keeps moving. I have so many ideas, its okay- they can have some of them, lol! Even with the setbacks, the I have been incredibly fortunate to live this lifestyle, this job that is interwoven into daily life. The community of artists and deep friendships I have made, the travel, the creating and selling of artwork- it truly is the perfect job for me.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Question #1- see previous page. Questions 2 onward: Artist Statement:
For the last 37 years, Kim Eubank has continued to evolve as a multimedia artist. Her work in copper and kiln fired,
vitreous glass enamel has given way to an originals only mixed media oil series and a deconstructed linocut printmaking series. Kim’s current body of work is large-scale figurative oil painting. She focuses on human connection and disconnection illustrated in a refined folk art style, using flat figures and bright colors with hints of intentional collage to tell a story and convey emotion. Her current works are original oil paintings on tar paper mounted on wooden panels, framed in hand fabricated aluminum frames. Multiple layers of oil paint are applied with wedges, spatulas and brushes. Kim carves deep into the layers with a scribe to create texture and depth. She interweaves botanical monoprints, deconstructed linocuts and vintage ephemera into her mixed media oil paintings.
In late 2025 she also launched a printmaking series; Old School Printmaking- all inked in oil and hand pulled on a Griffin Printing Press NO DIGITAL, NO AI, NO GICLEES, NO REPRODUCTIONS!
Kim Eubank creates large format linocuts, also known as block prints. She hand carves art grade linoleum with sharp chisels and gouges, then inks the plate with a brayer (rubber roller) then hand pulls each print on her Griffin printing press. Kim is taking an unconventional approach to traditional printmaking by deconstructing, cutting up and layering the multiple prints onto wooden panels.
The botanical collagraphs are flowers and weeds (yes, even tumbleweeds!) that she gathers from her yard. On occasion, when the plants are too crispy to print, she goes to Trader Joe’s to buy the flora & fauna. Kim uses vintage sewing pattern paper that she paints with gold oil based gilding wax, prior to running the inked flowers through the press. Some of her smaller plates are hand burnished and surface details are later painted by hand. Kim also uses a process called Chine-colle’ to adhere vintage and handmade Japanese papers to the print. All of her monoprints are original- No AI, No Digital! No Computers involved at all!
In the current age of digital, AI and rampant cheating going on at art shows (people are selling reproductions, sometimes embellished- sometimes not and passing them off as originals). I am fiercly proud that I am old school- everything is made by my two hands, all original, all hand made.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I think I’ve touched on this in the previous questions; here is a little more detail and additional stories; I have so many I could write a LONG Book- here is a sampling of the more major events.
Over a 37 year art show artist career, setbacks happen. A few of my major ones:
Age 20- Having my jewelry making tools and supplies stolen the night before the show; never got them back. Borrowed tools, bought beads and wire on a credit card- went to the show – had a few sample pieces showing and made jewelry to order and while they waited.
Age 30-The Boston Mills Flood: Set up an art show in Ohio, flash flood wipes out the north tent. Spent two days literally digging pieces out of the muck once the water receded- luckily this was the Metal Quilt series and enameled copper can get wet- we had to deconstruct and reframe and refit everything- some of the pieces survived. The 4 day show opened with 2 days left; set up the artwork in the lodge, wrapping around a fireplace and sold every remaining undamaged piece.
Age 36- Hurricane hits Richmond- wipes out a massive twin oak tree, which not only wipes out the enameling studio and our truck that we use to travel to art shows. Rebuild and reassess- I whip out a mixed media body in 2 weeks since I couldn’t fire the kiln, rent a van to get to the show.
Age 40- Go through a divorce from husband of 16 years and business partner. Battle depression. Create several new bodies of work- not all of them successful. Still somehow make it through.
Age 42- Fully loaded van with artwork, displays and camping gear is stolen in Richmond. Recovered after 4 days, nothing in van. Finally found some of the artwork at a metal recycling literally moments before it is about to be scrapped for the aluminum framing. Recovered about 60 percent of the art, most of it damaged. Had to cancel 2-3 shows, friends and family launched a go fund me to help us back on our feet. Start again.
Age 46- Move cross country during Covid, lose all income for 18 months due to no shows, burn through savings, battle depression- can’t even make art. Fall back on Metal Quilt (still selling through Artful Home (online platform and old school catalog). Living in an apartment so I drive out to the off grid land I thought I was going to build on and run kiln with a generator, working out of a shipping container
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I get to live my life on my own terms. I am my own boss, and she is a hard ass. Hard worker and creative soul. I can’t not create. Even during Covid, the creative muse still came out in my cooking. I love the artist’s community at shows, working at home from my separate studio in the backyard, traveling to shows all over the US, controlling my own schedule. And getting paid well to do want I love- make art.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kimeubank.com
- Instagram: @kimeubankarts
Image Credits
All images except #2 are by Kim, #2 “The Seekers” by Marylene May, courtesy of form + concept, Santa Fe, NM