Realism is truly one of the most fascinating genres of art. It’s built on the foundational idea of humans witnessing, and then interpreting the world around them before being translated onto paper as accurately as possible. Some may argue that taking photography does this job just as well and while it certainly is quicker, a photograph cannot capture the magic that spills out of the canvases of Kimberly Dow. The way she witnesses the world and all its wonders before guiding her hand to the canvas to recapture the magic is a truly special gift that makes you appreciate art and the world that much more.
Kimberly Dow is an American contemporary fine artist known for her oil paintings that focus the human form and condition. Since the late 90s, Kimberly has been using realism to explore complex narratives with an emphasis on celebrating, exploring, and empowering women. Her repertoire of realism includes narrative figures, nudes, portraits and scenes which all exude an aura of playfulness. More recently, Kimberly has added some extra whimsy to her body of work with her animals having dinner parties series.
Kimberly Dow is currently represented by PoetsArtists, online platform and art community providing publishing and marketing opportunities to artists.
I can paint beautiful art that moves people while I also discuss the prices with pride and do the necessary business side. This is good art and I am proud of it.
Women especially need to learn to be unabashed in their belief in themselves.
Interview with Kimberly Dow
Your work often explores and celebrates women in all their facets, what are some of the most intriguing parts of womanhood and the feminine experience that you enjoy exploring most within your work?
I started painting women experiencing life/joy/sorrow and other more mild emotions because I was going through them and could not say what I wanted to in words. I was unhappy but expressing it did not work. I was stuck for a while in that place, so I expressed myself secretly in paintings. Secret longings, trauma that had stayed with me, heartbreak and all the other things woman experience. I reminded myself who I wanted to be and kept painting until I got there. It was much the same with journaling, but I did it with paint. It was my therapy and my appreciation for all women.
As you work in realism, I’d love to hear more about your painting subjects and who they are! Are they people you know, or do you hire models?
This is a fun question because I get my models everywhere. I’m quite obsessed and never stop looking at people and the interesting ones often catch me staring. I have gotten models in my family, at the post office, at the grocery store, groups online, at the gas station, etc. In all the hundreds of people I have approached over the past 30 years, I have been turned down only once! I like to think it is because my paintings show people so true and beautiful that they are all flattered. I hope that at least!
I often come up with an idea and check my known models to see if any are perfect for it. That is such a small part though. As I am working with them for reference photos, we are talking. Almost every time, their personalities are added to the painting. And that is probably the secret spice – it isn’t all my idea any longer.
Your body of work is compiled of a range of genres including nudes, portraits, narrative works and scenery such as still life and nature. What do each of these genres offer to you as an artist?
Freedom. That is simply it. I don’t want to be boxed in. I just recently I started some whimsical animals in dinner party situations, which is so different for me. It felt a little daring to put that out there when I am known for people. I was feeling sick of people because of the political climate and needed something to cleanse my palette a little bit. Once I put them out, 3 sold right away. I would like to say that even if none had, I would have still painted more…but as an artist who has bills to pay, I am not sure.
I am just thankful. I get to live by my creative whims as they are still working out for me when it comes to business…so how lucky am I? I could tell myself that I am just *that* good, but we all know much of this career is luck. I never take any of it for granted.
How do you balance working within a variety of genres? And do you have periods where you enjoy working on one genre more than another?
I have no idea. I just do it and hope. Yes, I go through stages of wanting to paint a specific thing. And yes, there are times I do have to buckle down and finish a project that I am ready to move on from. I do have a good work ethic, even if I get a lot of freedom. I think we artists that are with galleries and other sales venues need to be practical and reliable as well as imaginative.
What are some of the obstacles you’ve faced throughout your career as an artist and how have you overcome them?
I want to be humble and grateful, but I also want to end the myth that being a commercial success means you are a sell-out. I can paint beautiful art that moves people while I also discuss the prices with pride and do the necessary business side. This is good art and I am proud of it.
Women especially need to learn to be unabashed in their belief in themselves.
When you’re not painting, what occupies your free time?
My fairly large crazy family is fun as hell, so I am lucky there. The husband and I like to travel and are hoping to do more in the future. We live in western North Carolina – so we hike and bike and get out to see waterfalls as often as possible. The grandparent thing is hugely fun. I am still waiting to see if my kids will make me any small humans that want to be an artist like their ‘Grand Goddess’. There are 6 grandkids so far, with my youngest son still planning to have kids. With these kinds of numbers, it just seems like statistically at least one might have an interest someday.
Do you have any exciting projects or exhibitions coming up that you can tell our readers about?
I am in the planning stages of an idea for a series that is political. Another genre I really haven’t tried. I have, but I don’t think the paintings said what I wanted them to, so I am going back and trying again. Telling your story with the right tone can be tricky. Painting destruction and fascism and genocide and making it something we can look at on a wall is maybe a lofty goal. I have never painted purposely ‘ugly’ – even if disturbing, I try to make it beautiful. I have some ideas as to how I will accomplish this, but I am really entering new territory, so wish me luck!
