Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Roberts
Hi Kim, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I traveled and lived overseas for most of the first half of my life, teaching contemplative practice and leading wellness retreats, While exploring new geographies, I always carried a watercolor sketch pad. Painting was always a way for me to ground and quiet my mind.
When I returned to the US, I suddenly encountered encaustic wax and changed my life to focus on art.
I moved to Denver to get involved with the art community there, and discovered oils–and met another artist who became my husband. Now I divide my time between Denver and Crestone, the southern Colorado mountain town that serves as my muse.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Obstacles are part of the path, and I try to think of them as invitations to grow.
I found success quite early in my path as an artist, and during the pandemic I suddenly had representation with 5 different galleries, earning a livable wage. Then, a few years later, all of that disappeared, for various reasons, and I found myself without a single gallery.
It was humbling to say the least, and challenging financially.
It’s been an interesting journey to fit the pieces back together to recreate myself, find new gallery representation and figure out how to stay afloat financially.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I love the Rocky mountains, and the environment they create. I live in a particularly beautiful stretch of them – the Sangre de Cristo range – that is said to be a place where “the veil is thinner.” The area is filled with spiritual centers, and meditation retreats, and I try to capture the peaceful essence of the mountains. I love bright, unexpected colors, and sweeping color fields that allow the eye to rest so that the mind can settle.
I also create small original handmade greeting cards. Each one is a tiny encaustic wax monotype, and a contemporary interpretation of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Encaustic wax is a medium that was used by the Egyptians to create portraits of nobles who had passed, to commemorate the dead. There are still samples of these 2000 year old paintings–called the Fayum Mummy Portraits- in the Louvre and the Met, among other collections.
I love working with this medium, that is a mixture of beeswax, damar resin and pigment. The colors are rich, and the texture creates a sheen that is hard to capture with any other medium.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act was a huge influence. I also read literature obsessively and visit museums and galleries as often as I can. My daily journaling and meditation practice is probably the place where I get the most inspiration.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kimrobertsart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimrobertsart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimRobertsArt/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimrobertstoolsforevolution/
- Other: https://kimrobertsart.substack.com/
Image Credits
art and images by author
