About Kim
I am a British artist working from direct observation, in the studio, from life, from my own directly made reference, or as is my particular preference outdoors working en plein air.
I love colour and use it in both watercolour and oil paint, but I am popularly known for my tonal work in ink on paper. I consider these ink works to be drawings, but the marks, patterns and shapes which are made with this wet medium and might equally be considered paintings. Finding characteristic and descriptive marks to suggestively abbreviate and describe visual elements economically, enables me to work spontaneously and I hope produce lively images, whilst my work still appears traditionally representational.
I embrace the challenge of harnessing and controlling ink and watercolour’s speed and fluidity, alongside the abstract aspects of tone, pattern and mark making which also have a major place in my work. Ink is however a less unforgiving medium which can require confidence to use as it cannot be lifted or changed once deployed as watercolour can.
Structures are visually appeal to me when I select my subject matter; architecture, trees, rocks and boats are good examples of the things I like. I find scale especially intriguing in both the immediate sense of it, and how that can be communicated when formulating compositions; I love working in all sizes and formats. I have a particular love of immersing myself in places of historical or geographical uniqueness or interest.
My initial degree as an early years and art teaching specialist saw me work for a long time in schools, but since becoming a practicing artist I have taught art students of all ages, types and levels in a wonderfully varied mix of settings.
Education
2012-2014 Fine Art MA, Aberystwyth University
1989-1993 Art Bachelor of Education Honours Degree, King Alfreds College, Winchester (affiliated to Southampton University)
1987-88 Foundation Course, Carmarthen College of Technology and Art
Exhibitions and Collections
2023 Summer Exhibition, Fine Art Consultancy Gallery, Belsize Park, London
2023 Take4Gallery Limited Palette exhibition, Ledbury
2023 Bath Art Fair
2022 The Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, commission unveiling, display and permanent collection.
2022 ING Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries.
2022 Broadway Arts Festival Plein Air Paint-Off (as winner)
2022 Bath Art Fair
2022 Bath Contemporary Artists Fair monthly (and brochure)
2020 Bath Society of Artists Open Exhibition (online)
2020 Kyffin Williams Drawing Prize, Oriel Ynys Môn
2019-2021 Lockdown online #artistsupportpledge participant and IGTV #isolationartschool contributor
2019 Bath Art Fair
2019 The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition
2019 Pintar Rapido Chelsea, London
2018 Winchester City Museum with HCT and Jane Austen’s House Museum
2018 The Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition RSMA
2018 Newbury Art Fair
2018 The Kyffin Williams Drawing Prize, Oriel Ynys Môn.
2017 The Turner Contemporary, Margate, Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year Finalists and Semi Finalists (group)
2016 Aspex Gallery @ The Guildhall , Portsmouth, (solo).
2016 Pintar Rapido Chelsea Old Town Hall, London.
2015 The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition, The Mall Galleries, (group)
2015 The Kyffin Williams Drawing Prize, Oriel Ynys Môn, (group).
2015 Spice Island Art Trail, Portsmouth.
1993 Ceredigion Council and Museum permanent collection (on display at Council Offices)
Public Commissions and Collaborations
2022 The Joint Services Command and Staff College, The Defence Academy of the United Kingdom (plus merchandising commission)
2022 ‘Better Bankside’ local authority Mindful Drawing with Art Academy London (online)
2022 An Introduction to Drawing filmed online course with Art Academy London
2021-22 Art Academy London Saturday art Club leader (online)
2019 Pintar Rapido Judge and Demonstration artist, Chelsea, London
2018 The Artist Magazine, monthly series contributor
2017 Jane Austen’s House Museum, Chawton and Hampshire Cultural Trust (plus merchandising commission)
2016 National Trust for Ireland, commission with Sky Arts
Private Commissions
Kim takes private commissions of all sorts and sizes. Please email via the Contact page
Awards
2022 The Great Broadway Paint Off Winner
2016 Pintar Rapido, national plein air painting competition Winner
2016 Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Wildcard Winner
2015 Winner at Spice Island Art Trail, Portsmouth.
1986 First prize Traws Cambria and S4C Bilidowcar programme competition
Shortlisted
2016 Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year Final three contestants
2018 Kyffin Williams Drawing Prize
Teaching
2017- 2022 The Art Academy, Borough Market, London
2018 – The School House For Art, Enniskerry Ireland
2017 Naval Head Quarters Portsmouth (NCHQ) Different Ways of Thinking Lunchtime Drawing
2017- Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth.
2017-2020 St Barbe Gallery and Museum.
2017 – 2021 Aspex Gallery Portsmouth (in person from 2018/19/20 and 2021 remote) Adult Generate Group (memory group and carers)
2018- 2022 West Dean College of Arts and Conservation.
Kim’s post MA adult education 2015 onwards – Art Groups and Societies, arts centres, museums and galleries, primary and secondary schools, individuals and online.
2015 Kim taught in schools in Exeter, Hampshire and Ceredigion finishing as Head of The Foundation Phase in a large primary school and then some varied supply teaching roles.
Kim holds a current and transportable DBS for use with children or vulnerable adults which can be viewed on request.
© I am represented by DACS (Designers and Artists Copyright Services) for all reproduction permissions.
Please email for further details.