Jury Spotlight: An Interview with Kimberly Brooks
Each fair, stARTup gathers six of the art world’s industry leaders to ensure that the artwork is fresh and unique, with the highest level of exhibitors from the contemporary art scene.
As stARTup Los Angeles 2020 draws closer, we talked to one of our jurors Kimberly Brooks, Los Angeles-based painter and writer, about what currently inspires her, her creative process, and more on her newest book.
Kimberly, tell us about your creative process.
I make work every week day. I don’t wait to get inspired, instead I have a jungle of paintings at once and tune into my reaction when I see them anew. I want to see them in that first moment as if they’re not mine, and then I know instantly what to do. I paint until I get a kind of resolution. And then turn it around to dry and go for the fresh look reaction again and again until there’s nothing left for me to do. Then the painting is done.
Jerusalem, 52 x 60 in., Oil on linen, 2019
What inspires you currently?
I’m interested in the landscape, as it relates to the earth, to history and in the way it is also a portrait.
What tool or medium would you be lost without?
Marble dust. It is the key to oil painting without solvents. I just wrote a book about it and want the world to know.
Russian Room, 42 x 36 in., Oil on linen, 2019
Other than your art practice, what other work do you do?
I created a school for oil painting in particular. So much is not taught today. I weave art history, contemporary art, creative process and oil painting technique into bright bits of video and information and I have students from all over the world. I love it.
Chinese Wall, 42 x 36 in., Oil on linen, 2019
So tell us more about your new book. How has writing it affected your work?
Yes thank you for asking! The book is called Oil Painting Safe Practices: The Essential Guide. It is available at OIlpaintingessentials.com just for my fans and students but Chronicle books will be publishing it next year. It has affected my work tremendously in that I no longer paint without solvents. Also understanding the fascinating history and chemistry of pigments has changed the way I think about paint.
And finally, do you have any upcoming events?
I have an exhibition in 2021 called Painting Architecture at the Lancaster Museum of Art and History (MOAH). I will be launching the next installment of my program in Spring and you can learn more about it here www.paintingismagic.com
All stARTup artists are vetted by an independent jury for each fair to ensure that art collectors, enthusiasts, and professionals are discovering and purchasing works from today's top independent artists in the market.
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Q&A by Fair Director Ray Beldner and Content Curator Mica England