Life & Work with Kimberly King of Interlochen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly King.

Hi Kimberly, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up around artists – specifically my grandmother and great aunt. Back then, painting was a way for me to bond with important people in my life. Today, it is that and so much more. It is a way to bond, communicate, process, and pray.
I went to art school for a few years after high school, and I learned a lot about painting, history, the professional world, etc. But the main thing those years taught me is that my art is just about the art. Bringing money and business into the equation takes the heart out of it for me. It can’t become a job – it just needs to be art.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I think for the most part it’s been pretty smooth. Quiet is perhaps a better way to describe it. It took failure in a few college classes to make me really consider what I wanted out of my practice, but now that I’ve answered that question for myself those old grades hardly mean anything. If anything, those little obstacles have all lead me to where I am today, so it’s hard to feel anything but thankful.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
For the past 10 or so years, the main focus of my work was my sound-color synesthesia. Music has always been so important to me, and painting what I could see when listening was an important way for me to communicate, meditate, and process. That work will always hold a special place in my heart, and I am confidant that I will never truly leave it behind.
Recently, however, I’ve been really interested in portraiture. Singular portraits and moments of closeness between people have been my main focus here. I’m really interested in showing not only what a. person or moment looks like, but what they feel like, and who they are. This work still leans pretty abstract, with faceless figures and simple backgrounds. If I’m known for anything, at least amongst friends, it’d be my faceless portraits, and the squiggly lines I often put in backgrounds, or make the focus of other pieces.

What matters most to you?
I’d say communication. Words don’t always come easy to me, so art as a means for communication has played a huge part in my journey. Whether I’m showing what I see or how I feel, if just one person understands or relates, I’ve done what I set out to do.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kfaith.art/