Connect
To Top

Meet Trailblazer Kimberly Conrad

Avatar photo

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

Thanks for sharing your story with us Kimberly. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have been creating all of my life; writing stories, composing music, designing clothing, and have been an entrepreneur my entire adult life. I operated an art and music school Conrad School of Art for children for seventeen years, while designing and marketing my own clothing line, painting, coaching other artists in art marketing, and working with women in various capacities. I closed my clothing business in 2004 to devote 100% of my time to painting and coaching.

At that time, I felt there were not enough online opportunities and created my first platform for artists. It has morphed over the years, with the help of other talented women and is now a wonderful organization called www.whereartlives.gallery, with over 80 online sites for artists. I am very proud of our organization.

I have watched many sites come and go through the years, and we are still here, doing what we love! As an artist, it is my greatest vehicle for marketing my artwork online. As an art coach, it feels wonderful to be able to provide this great opportunity to other artists. I work with artists from all over the world.

In 2013, I opened Kimberly Conrad Contemporary Art Gallery in Denver, where I exhibit my own work, and shortly thereafter, rented additional space in the same building for a second studio. I meet with my coaching clients in my beautiful gallery, so it serves multiple purposes. I also have a beautiful studio in my Centennial home.

It is quite a luxury for an artist to have multiple places to create and I give thanks daily for such a blessing!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
It has been anything but smooth but has been incredibly rewarding.
What I did not mention previously, is that my husband suffered cardiac arrest in 2006, and lost his job as an airline pilot.
We briefly entertained my going back to school, but at that time, we had one son in college, and three sons getting ready to follow. Their education had to be the priority. At that time I hit the ground running and began expanding my business in every direction.
I was operating my little art school, painting, building Where Art Lives, coaching artists, giving marketing lectures, teaching blogging workshops, ghost blogging for other artists, and eventually, began my life coaching practice with women.

The truth is, with the exception of the art school for children, I still do all of these things.
They are all very rewarding in their own way.
I have recently rebranded my life coaching practice with women to the name She Splendid, and am taking it to a whole new level. In the fall, I will be launching online courses and a podcast!

I know it must sound a bit crazy to do so many things, but it has honestly been such a natural evolution.
Most everything I do crosses over. I even incorporate art into some of my life coaching.

What I want to say to younger women is “Dream BIG, and then go after those dreams with all that you are. It is not by accident that you have a dream inside that you want to bring to life. You have a purpose and as you follow that purpose, the value you bring to this world will be incredibly rewarding. It is scary to follow your passion, and there will always be naysayers (mostly well-meaning) that you must refuse to hear. Be very selective who you share your dreams with, and never live or dream smaller to make those who don’t want to grow and expand feel more comfortable.”

Please tell us more about your artwork, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am very passionate about every branch of my company. In the painting arena, I am most known for my seascapes. I ship my work all over the world. I like to say my little gallery is one of Denver’s best-kept secrets, as it is not in a retail district. While the studio across the hall holds a variety of subjects, the gallery showcases my favorite seascapes, and upon entering, visitors are transported to a beautiful coastal oasis. Again, the gallery is the perfect setting for my coaching practice.

I love working with artists; educating them, helping them to define their goals, and set in motion practices to succeed in the art business. When I first began coaching, I found that very quickly it would get quite personal.
These smart, incredibly talented people needed personal support in areas such as silencing the inner critic, navigating confidence issues, overcoming false beliefs that resulted in fear-based living, all things that were blocking them from moving forward in their businesses. The women especially seemed to need permission to value themselves enough to not only acknowledge their dreams but show up for themselves in a way to facilitate those dreams.

This prompted me to separate my art coaching practice from my life coaching practice and give my work with women its own special place. My greatest desire is to help women to heal, and to empower them to live extraordinary lives. I have studied under many powerful healers, teachers, and leaders around the area of mindset for 20 plus years, but in 2016, I completed my formal training and became a licensed Heal Your Life leader, teacher, facilitator. I think of all of my business ventures, I am most proud of She Splendid, and my work with women. It is this work that I believe has the greatest impact. As we help others to heal, we heal ourselves and help to heal our world.

Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
In the area of business, I listen to everything from Marie Forleo, Rachel Hollis and other like-minded female entrepreneurs, to the old youtube videos of Jim Rohn and John Maxwell.
In addition, I listen to a variety of leaders that teach around mindset.
Super Soul Conversations on the Oprah Winfrey Network is a great place to find inspiration on every subject.
I have every book ever written by Norman Vincent Peale and Florence Scovel Shinn, and I reread them all year long. These two were years ahead of their time. Both were born in the late 1800s and were writing and teaching then what the mindset gurus are all teaching now. The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman and The Power of The Spoken Word by Florence are timeless treasures. Lousie Hay, who founded Heal Your Life, and whose work I love, was greatly inspired by Florence Scovel Schinn.

Pricing:

  • Original Paintings from $100-$10,000

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
Kit Hedman, Sam Williams

Suggest a story: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.

Related Items

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in