Materials, a love story.

My love of art materials might be the only thing at odds with my minimalist values. 

Walking into an art store fills me with pure joy — rows of color-coded paints and pencils make me feel like a 6-year-old in awe. I don’t even need to use them; just looking is enough.  I’m a bit of a brand snob, which helps keep me from buying everything. I love quality and I love when things match.  Although, I will happily play with a big messy pile of Crayolas or little bits of sidewalk chalk to create a hopscotch masterpiece on the driveway, complete with rainbows, butterflies, and bubbles letters.

Over the years, I’ve collected art from around the world. My favorite pieces came from Cuba: one from an artist sketching street scenes with whatever markers he could find, and another painted on the back of a floral tablecloth with house paint and charcoal. They remind me that simple is better — you start where you are, with what you have.

I’ve experimented with everything from oils and encaustic wax to gold leaf, spray paint, and watercolor. These days, I mostly work with acrylics and pigment sticks on raw canvas, each collection shaped by emotion and place. Last year I learned the hard way that acrylics don’t survive van life — frozen paint doesn’t come back to life. Lesson learned.

I strive to be environmentally friendly and not use materials that will cause me harm or lose brain cells.  Many art materials are very toxic to humans and our Earth and I do my best to use more natural materials. 

❤️ K