After years of painting in plein air, Kim VanDerHoek has deliberately broken with the traditional method of rendering that she was taught and sought out influences in contemporary art. “Paintings by other artists that speak to me are always ones that ride the line between realism and abstraction,” she says. “In each of my paintings, I aim to accurately represent the subject while allowing the paint to have an equal voice and a strong presence.”
To Fly Toward a Secret Sky, oil on panel, 40 x 30"
Having grown up in a rural mountain town, VanDerHoek finds the geometric shapes of urban areas juxtaposed with the soft forms of nature fascinating. “This new series of aerial views was born from a dim, poorly lit photo, shot through an airplane window,” she explains. “The first piece was small, 11 by 14 inches, it was dark, moody and hazy, like a memory with strong emotion attached to it. For the next two years, I’ve explored this theme of moody semiabstracted aerial views in larger works.”
Every Which Way, oil on panel, 24 x 24"
Dreaming of D.C., oil on panel, 24 x 30"
The artist adds, “It is important to me that each painting has the feeling of a specific place that I’ve filtered through my experience of it, all while allowing the paint enough presence to remind the viewer that they are looking at a work of art.”
September 18 through October 9, VanDerHoek will exhibit her paintings in the show From Above, with artist Jill Basham at Principle Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia. —
Want to See More?
(949) 510-6921 | www.kimvanderhoek.com
Facebook: /kimvanart
Instagram: @kim_vanderhoek
Twitter: @vanderhoekart
Represented by Principle Gallery
208 King Street | Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 739-9326 | www.principlegallery.com
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