Check Out Kim Morski’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Morski.

Hi Kim, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I fell in love with printmaking and book arts 15 years ago, when I was studying at Washington University in St. Louis. I love to draw and paint, but I find the intentionality and labor required of printmaking to be very satisfying. My artwork is in private and public collections, including the University of Denver’s Fine Press and Artists’ Books collection. Over the years, the focus of my work has shifted with a move to Denver, and becoming a mom of three. Motherhood has profoundly impacted my artistic practice.

Prior to becoming a mother, I gravitated toward large scale prints with external, often political themes that had very little connection to my everyday life. In a way, I compartmentalized art from my personal, inner world. In becoming a mother, I experienced something I describe as a baptism of my eyes and mind in the tearful waters of joy and grief. Physical time constraints and limited emotional capacity made me rethink what I wanted to spend my time making, and it turns out, I’m most interested in the quiet beauty found in moments of boredom, ordinary life, and maternal longing. I delight in making small prints and drawings that reflect the intimacy of maternal experience and the margins of life where I make time to create.

Now I am living out my dream of having a backyard printmaking studio, Bright Cloud Press, where I make hand printed textiles, prints, letterpress poetry broadsides, handmade books, and occasionally ceramics. I also teach workshops for textile block printing.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
For the most part, my journey as an artist has been smooth, but I would say it is because I’ve held that part of myself with open hands throughout various seasons of life. The biggest challenge I’ve had was trying to rebuilt a sense of community in the art world when I relocated to Denver. There were a lot more collaborative, non-profit based supports for printmakers in Chicago and St. Louis, where I lived previously. Just about the time I was starting to feel more connected in Denver, I had my first daughter. There are many challenges to being an artist and mother, but I decided to embrace motherhood as my primary focus and let art be the creative lens through which I approached my children.
I pivoted for a season, shifting from printmaking to handmade clothing, which I could made at home during nap times. Finally in 2020, with the pandemic and my second child, I decided to take a more intentional break from art. That season, which ended up lasting about four years, was full of frustration and doubt about how I would reenter my creative practice, but I knew it would be there when I was ready. Then, in 2024, we moved to a new house with a detached garage. At the same time, someone gifted me a beautiful Chandler & Price platen printing press. It was like a door opened before me, and I just decided it was time to start making again. I started with a portrait of my daughter, which I made simply for personal delight and the enjoyment of drawing. After this simple “yes”, giving myself permission to create again, I have found myself in the most satisfying artistic season of my life. I am working in a quieter, more private way than before, but I also have found I am much less weighed down by the need to be “keeping up” in any superficial way. I am grateful that lesson has been part of the journey.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
For a long time, I was known more for my large-scale prints, artists’ books, and participatory printmaking experiences like my edible “FRESH BREAD: take, break, & eat” project. I am really proud of my past work, but I have been challenging myself to explore different media and to make my artwork more personal in recent years. This has been very freeing, but it is still new territory for me. This summer, I am excited to be working on several new print editions, including a limited edition hand carved, hand printed woodcut, as well as a new letterpress broadside with a poem by Colorado native, Bethany Lorden. I am also making hand printed textiles and home goods. The work might all appear unrelated, but for me, it’s all rooted in the lessons I am learning in this stage of life, connected to mothering, stewardship, and humility.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
Taking a break from art making for four years definitely impacted my connections to the Denver art community, but several people have generously encouraged my creativity and supported my art practice. My friend and artist, Kristen Sink journeyed alongside me when my art was all but dormant. Every time I take a step in a new direction, she supports me with feedback and encouragement. I am also very grateful to the support of Amy Rogala, the owner of Regal Design. As I was just getting back into drawing, Amy started carrying my work in her store on South Broadway. My world is pretty small, but Amy gave me an opportunity to share my work with a broader community. Finally, more recently, I got back into teaching with the support of Boulder artist and friend, Kristen Abbott. She invited me to teach in her Schoolhouse Studio space, reigniting my love for teaching printmaking. Oh! And I cannot leave out my daughter’s godmother, Kristi, who generously comes to my house to play with my three daughters while I work in my studio.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kimmorski.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightcloudpress

Image Credits
Studio shot photo credit: Kristen Hatgi Sink