Meet the artist: Kim K Whittemore
Current Hometown: Minot
Where can we see your work?
A good number of my images are at my web site, www.kimkwhittemore.com, but a few more of them reside at my Flickr account, https://www.flickr.com/photos/360project/. I also have pieces displayed at Anchor Fish & Chips in Minneapolis and on some greeting cards distributed nationwide at www.MasalaCards.com. I recently had a showing at the Taube Museum of Art in Minot, in the lower level, which was super exciting!
Do you have work for sale?
Yes. My work is digital, so I can print and mount any of my images. I have a giclee printer and print on canvas. The canvas then gets mounted on a wood cradle that I hand make as well. I also create custom digital images for bands and other clients.
In what media do you work?
I am a Photoshop fanatic, so most everything is created there. Some of my pieces are photo composites, which is basically combining pieces of many different photos to create my own reality. Others are digital paintings or illustrations, where I am actually hand drawing every element in the image.
How would you describe your style?
It varies, but most of it would be considered surreal. I like to create the unrealistic, but make it look real. Much of my work comes out whimsical, but I do have a dark and broody side as well. I’m also currently illustrating more, and have a children’s book in the works and am illustrating another writers’ book.
Who would you say have been influences on your work?
There are so many, really. I love looking at other artists work and filter through what I love and what doesn’t resonate with me. It all eventually comes out in my own work somehow. To name some names, on the photo compositing side of my art, I love the work of Joel Robison and Erik Johansson. On the illustration side of things, I really love Robert Romanowicz. Both have opened my eyes a bit more and have fueled my inspiration.
Are there particular themes you like to explore in your work?
I’m really all over the place with themes, but looking back on my work so far, I see that I love giraffe’s and elephants. I think it’s interesting to put animals in human scenarios, or objects in odd places, basically mixing up what is considered “normal.”
What do you most enjoy about the creative process?
I love when an idea passes through my mind. It’s that simple. The idea is pure joy. I enjoy the process of bringing that idea to life as well. Usually there are multiple “eureka” moments when other ideas happen along the way, and those are equally as happy for me. There’s also the satisfaction when a piece is complete and I just look at it. What was just a thought, is now a thing.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I am a full-time musician and artist living in Minot. I play in the band Even5 and the acoustic duo Hey Soul Sister. I’ve been married for 28 years to Bruce Whittemore. I was born and raised in Minot, with a short five year move to Minneapolis quite a long time ago. Art and music has, and will always will be a huge part of my life.
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