Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Wetzel.
Hi Kimberly, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
My name is Kimberly Wetzel, and I’m a multimedia artist currently based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I grew up in Bismarck, North Dakota, and moved to Minneapolis in 2013 to attend the Minneapolis College of Art and Design to study illustration for children’s books. I fell in love with oil painting while there and switched majors, graduating with a BFA in Painting/Drawing in 2017. The path of the fine artist felt like it had the most flexibility in making my career look however I wanted it to, though I’ve learned that this is also one of its significant challenges. Shortly after graduating, I moved into a shared studio space in St. Paul, where I continue to work out today. Each year, my practice has grown in different ways. For the first few years of my career, I mainly created large abstract figure paintings, being inspired by my family and ancestors and pulling memories into my work to divert feelings of loneliness and disconnection. My work continued with these ideas for a few years while I participated in group shows and art fairs and taught workshops. In 2020, I returned to charcoal drawing, one of the first mediums I learned from in high school. I created a body of work that pulled imagery from beloved landscapes from my past and various places I’ve called home to create whimsical, stormy, slightly surreal worlds. In 2021, a series of my drawings titled “The Wind Holds Us Together” was exhibited at the Northfield Arts Guild, which became a turning point in my career. Drawing opened up a different feel for my art practice, centering my subject on nature and its mysteries.
I landed my first residency in 2022 at the Tides Institute & Museum of Art in Eastport, Maine, through that body of work and redirection within my practice. This experience is a time I hold very dear. It pushed me to explore new ways of making and was a warm and caring community to be a part of for a short time. I ended my stay there with an artist talk and a new body of work created from research done on the migratory birds in the area. In 2023, I was chosen as an artist for two other residencies in Minnesota, spending time in Grand Marais and Holdingford. I’ve continued exhibiting my work in group shows and gained representation at the Grand Hand Gallery in St. Paul. I’ve sold work into private collections and am currently working on a commissioned project making paintings for an indie film. Each day is different in the life of an artist, and I look forward to all the beautiful things art and making will bring me in the coming days. I’m grateful to have a career that brings more beauty and understanding.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Growth is constant, and within that, challenges always arise. Creating art is something that I need to do on a personal level, as it’s always been a source of so much happiness and comfort for me. It allows me to express myself and relate to others in a way I couldn’t otherwise. Because of this, doing art as a career can set me up for a certain amount of heartbreak and disappointment. There is a lot of rejection on the path to getting opportunities and exposure. You are wearing many different hats as an artist, and I’ve struggled with navigating some of the business sides of an art career, as marketing only comes naturally to me. Balancing my time between my different roles sometimes leaves little room for rest or periods to find new inspiration. Without inspiration, the whole process comes to a halt. The biggest lesson I’ve learned this year is paying attention to burnout and honoring rest periods as equally crucial to working hours. The work I am ready to do will show itself to me when the timing is right. And in those times, making “bad art” generates even more “good art.”
Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us more about your work.
I am a multimedia artist creating abstract works on canvas and paper. I oscillate between making extensive oil paints on canvas and using various forms of charcoal on paper to create my pieces. My work always references a photo or video to pull color and mark into my pieces from a physical source. I continue to push the boundary of abstraction in my work to express emotion, working intuitively, challenging the viewer in their engagement with my art, and using abstraction to talk about multiple subjects in my pieces. Pulling imagery from my grandparents’ farmhouse, interior views of homes I’ve lived in, and landscapes I’ve traveled, I break down the assortment of homes and speak towards themes of longing and entropy. Growing up in North Dakota, the landscape could be still and expansive while routinely wielding harsh winters and dry summers. The prairies moved slowly while the weather created chaos. This land moves in a state of duality. I pull from its contrasting tranquility and disruption elements to inform my work. I am most proud of my persistence in my career to follow my dreams and to keep trying no matter the outcome. We all see the world and view our surroundings in unique and nuanced ways, and I feel so happy and grateful to share a glimpse of what that is for me through my art. My art speaks from the truest part of myself and allows others to relate to me more profoundly.
What were you like growing up?
From a young age, I grew up interested in art, painting portraits of my favorite toys, making mystery films with my friends, and drawing comic strips and cartoons. I loved being outside and creating made-up worlds in which to exist. My twin sister and I were close growing up, and we did most things together, from our classes to sports, studying, and hanging out. We continue to be close to this day, and she will always be someone who grounds me the most. As I got older, I had a lot of creative interests I pursued on my own as well, continuing with teaching myself how to draw through books and art classes in school, taking piano lessons for many years, and learning to cook and be creative in the kitchen. I tended to be more reserved growing up, and art was an excellent outlet to express myself. As I became more confident in myself and my skills, visual art became my passion and what I knew I needed to pursue as a career. I’m so appreciative of the support from my family, friends, and community over the years; without them, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kimberlywetzel.com
- Instagram: @kim_wetzel
Image Credits
Greg Barber – Personal Photo
