Kim Blair Artist

Prana, abstract painting by Kim Blair

Prana

36"x36" acrylic on canvas

The inspiration for my abstract work comes from a number of sources... nature, architecture, archaeology, machinery, life experiences, travel... they all influence the work.

One colour that evokes happy memories of childhood for me is this pinky orange tone. Perhaps it was the wall colour at a friends home, or the upholstery fabric on a piece of furniture at a relative's cottage. Whatever the source, it is a colour I absorbed into my visual memory, incubating all these years... waiting for the right moment to be expressed.

Portal, abstract painting by Kim Blair

Portal

36"x36" acrylic on canvas

As mentioned in a previous post you can expect to see abstract work on my blog and website rather than the painterly realism of previous years. My abstract muse has arrived and she will be staying for the foreseeable future.

If you click on the above image for a closer look you will notice thick passages of paint excavated to reveal deeper layers of colour and texture. The primitive imperfect marks I am able to create by scratching the surface with twigs, palette knives and cardboard along with wielding my brush taped to a stick giving me a 24" handle (so that I cannot fiddle with tight brush strokes) gives the piece its character, it's 'Wabi Sabi'...

'The beauty of imperfection'...

Living Large needs a home, by Kim Blair

Living Large

mixed media

framed dimensions: 39.5 "x 31"

This painting called 'Living Large' is sitting in my studio waiting to go to a good home...

A good home for this framed painting would be in the office/public reception area of a non-profit organization, or a hospital ward/hallway were the general public would enjoy viewing it.

Please contact me if you know of an organization that fits the above description within the Edmonton area that would have room for this piece of art in their collection. I am considering donating this piece to a non-profit organization that feels like the right fit. All suggestions will be considered, please have the person responsible for such acquisitions contact me.

Sincerely

Kim

Endings are New Beginnings, by Kim Blair

'Formative to Informative'

Taking down my Exhibition

Today I took down my exhibition, 'Formative to Informative' after being on display for two months at the Faculty of Extension Gallery at the University of Alberta. Packing up my art was definitely a bitter sweet experience with lots of reminiscing about the artistic process that led to the creation of this body of work. The pieces that sold are now in the hands of the collectors while the rest of the work is safely stored in my studio.

My thoughts have moved on to creating new work for my next show, which makes me a firm believer that endings are new beginnings...

Exhibition Celebrations, by Kim Blair

Kim & Ferdinand

(Opening Night Celebrations)

Thank you to everyone who attended the opening celebrations of my solo graduation exhibition on December 4, 2015. Good friends, good food and lots of laughs... who could ask for more?

To peruse some candid photos of the evening click here.

To read my artist statement for this grad show click here.

To view all of the 38 paintings in the show click here.

The show has been extended by the University, it will stay up until January 6, 2016.

* If you didn't get a chance to drop by for the opening and want to experience the art in person the gallery space is open: 7:00 am to 11:00 pm every day.

U of A Faculty of Extension

Extension Gallery

(Main Floor Atrium)

Enterprise Square

10230 Jasper Avenue

Edmonton, Alberta

'Living Large,' A Preview of my upcoming exhibition, by Kim Blair

'Living Large'

*This photo was taken before it was floated on a white mat and framed... you will see the framed piece at the show.

With only a few days to go before Friday, December 4 and the opening reception for my solo grad show... I thought it might be fun to give you a preview of just one of the over 30 paintings in the exhibition.

(*Don't be fooled into thinking the show is all about sunflowers... because it isn't!)

See you on Friday...

Opening Reception

Friday, December 4, 2015

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

U of A Faculty of Extension

Extension Gallery

(Main Floor Atrium)

Enterprise Square

10230 Jasper Avenue

Edmonton, Alberta

Exhibition runs from November 27 to December 17, 2015
Enterprise Square Gallery hours are the same as the building hours:
*7:00 am to 11:00 pm

You are invited to my 'Solo Graduation Exhibition', by Kim Blair

Formative to Informative

Graduate Exhibition

By Kim Blair

Opening Reception

Friday, December 4, 2015

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Exhibition runs from November 27 to December 17, 2015

U of A Faculty of Extension

Extension Gallery

(Main Floor Atrium)

Enterprise Square

10230 Jasper Avenue

Edmonton, Alberta

kimblairartist.blogspot.com

780.474.6734

Five years of art classes has culminated in my graduation exhibition at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Extension Gallery in downtown Edmonton. Please set aside the opening date of December 4, 2015 to drop by the Extension Gallery between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m. to view my expressionistic body of work, created specifically for this exhibition.

I look forward to catching up with you at the opening celebration for my solo exhibition.

Have you had a Rorschach today... Snippets by Kim Blair

(closeup sections from larger work on paper)

The Rorschach was a psychological test developed in 1921 where the participants were shown a set of ten ink blot cards and asked to describe what they thought each looked like.

Instead of ten, I am offering two snippet/closeup sections taken from the same larger mixed media work on paper... what do you see?

Be creative.... there are no wrong answers.

(The larger work will be revealed at my exhibition in 2 months.)

Officially Fall Snippets by Kim Blair

(close-up detail from larger work on canvas)

Autumn is officially here. A thick carpet of golden yellow elm leaves has started to develop along our street and the aroma of freshly baked apple crisp has filled our house numerous times over the last few weeks.

But that is not the only thing that has been happening... I have been putting together the details for my grad exhibition that will take place in a few months. Selecting which paintings will be hung and where all seemed so simple until I actually sat down with a scaled model of the gallery (that my husband designed for me.)

Yes, it's all fun and games until some hard decisions have to be made about your own work because not every piece I painted will fit in the gallery space.

What a line Snippet, by Kim Blair

(close-up detail from larger work on canvas)

A line has the capacity to draw the viewer into or out of a painting. The thickness of a line along with the intensity of colour can create the illusion of strength or delicacy. But what happens when the colour of a line is considered to be delicate while the thickness suggests strength? Is that allowed... can something be delicate and strong at the same time?

I like to think of it as the 'yin yang effect.'

P.S.
My grad show has now been booked for the end of November 2015. I will keep you posted as to exact dates, plus the date/time of the reception/party at the venue/gallery.

(*In this upcoming show I will be exhibiting the complete, larger paintings where all these smaller 'snippet' close-up sections originated from).

Purple Passion Snippet, by Kim Blair

(close-up detail from larger work on canvas)

After my confession on my last post (about having a saturated palette... surprise, surprise) I thought it might be good to offer up a 'snippet' example of rich vibrant hues playing off some tints and shades... variations on a colour theme.

I didn't come completely clean with my confession... I should have added that I have a soft spot for using line work in my paintings, which makes my art a painting/drawing hybrid of sorts.

True Confessions Snippet, by Kim Blair

(close-up detail from larger work on canvas)

I have a confession to make... (but I have a feeling most of you know it already), I have a saturated palette. There, I said it out loud for everyone to hear. Rich vibrant colours make my heart sing and always put a smile on my face. It has taken me a long time to admit this, but now that it is out in the open I feel a weight of paint falling off my shoulders.

Although I do have a weakness for monochromatic black and white work (some examples will be included in my grad show later this fall) my brush tends to be attracted to saturated colours, along with a variety of tints, tones and shades of various hues for added depth and interest.

I'll sleep better tonight now that my secret is out...