DPW Interviews: Bob Kimball

From Bob Kimball's DPW Gallery page:

I live in Las Vegas and I've been making art for about 30 years. Most of my paintings have been still life and landscapes. I also delve into abstract here and there....

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I first started painting seriously when I was about 16 years old. My earliest memory of an art experience came when I was about 6 years old in the first grade. I drew a picture of a pirate ship with all the stick men pirates, nets, sails and anything else I could think of. My teacher made such a big deal about it that it made an impression in my mind all this time.  I still have a few of my first paintings, starting from 1975. It's fun to look at them, which I thought at the time were near masterpieces! Now I look at them and say, Hmmm, what was I thinking? Anyway, they bring back lots of good memories.

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Did you have any stops and starts in your painting career?

I had many starts and stops throughout my painting life, which mostly depended on the occupation I was in at any given time. No matter what job I had, I always somehow found time to at least do a little bit of art of some kind. I always knew that someday, I would be pursuing art as a full time career.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with? Which ones have "stuck" and which ones have fallen away? Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

Before taking the plunge into painting, I experimented with many different mediums like charcoal, graphite pencil and conte and sculpture, which I enjoy very much. I tried acrylics and watercolors, but never really adjusted to the quick drying times. When it comes to painting, I like to have time to think about the next stages. The slower drying times of oil paint are perfect for me, since they let me make plans. If I could somehow combine oil painting and sculpting, I'd be perfectly happy!

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Many of your images look like something from a dream. Just out of curiosity, do you paint from photos? Real life? Memory? How do you arrive at ideas for your paintings?
I get most of my ideas for my paintings from memory and/or imagination.  Some of my inspiration comes from photos I've taken from my travels to beautiful places, mostly from the central and southwestern U.S. If I had to pinpoint any area in particular, it would have to be the Southwestern mountain areas of southern Utah that I've found the most memorable.

What does procrastination look like for you? What techniques work to ensure that you make time for your art?

I don't actually procrastinate with my art, but I do take a small break from it just like anything else. I would rather be relaxed with using my imagination, rather than "force" something to happen.  I tend to paint sometime after 2 in the afternoon, when most of the other things I have to take care of are done. That way, I can be more relaxed when I'm trying to create.

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How do you keep art "fresh"? What techniques have helped you avoid burnout and keep your work vibrant and engaging?

I try to keep my art fresh by switching from painting to drawing and sculpting frequently. I like to use drawing and sculpting as a break from painting, just to break it up a little, especially when using color mediums starts to get a little tedious. Drawing is a lot simpler for me, so I look at it as a kind of a break.

What do you feel you are learning about right now as an artist?

I've never reached a point where I'm satisfied with what I've learned about making art. Actually, I hope I never reach that point. The challenge of learning new things about making art is the best thing about it. Color temperature, value, harmony and composition are the most important things to me to keep in mind when I'm starting a painting. I would say that keeping all the variables balanced is the most challenging aspect to making a good painting.

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What makes you happiest about your art?

What makes me happiest about my art is when I make a piece that I like. If a painting is going right, it almost seems like it's painting itself. That's the stage in every painting that I'm waiting for every time I paint. I think that above all, it all boils down to being happy with the end result of a piece before I start a new one.

Thanks, Bob!




© 2012 Jennifer Newcomb Marine

Jennifer Newcomb Marine is the Marketing and Community Manager of Daily Paintworks. She's an author and blogging and marketing coach.