September Artist of the Month
Meet Kristin Conant
This wonderful piece was written by the artist Kirstin Conant herself. I was delighted to have the opportunity to interview Conant. Her art is nothing short of magical, perhaps because she fearlessly pursues different techniques and mediums all in an attempt to bring joy to the viewer. For as long as I have followed her art, she has been gracious and generous with sharing her process. I am also touched by her constant praise and encouragement for her fellow artists. ~ Linda Kinch, AOM Feature Writer
A Lifelong Art Journey
My interest in creating art has been lifelong, beginning with finger painting in kindergarten. My art path took many forms and offered occasional employment in the following decades. I took academic studio art studies in college. I designed, silk screened and sold T-shirts. I maintained sketch books, painted and also drew in pen and ink.
Living internationally for most of my twenties shaped my art and the opportunities to create it. Most restrictive of all was cruising aboard a 28-foot wooden sailboat for four years, sailing from England, through Europe, then crossing the Atlantic to the Caribbean, where I settled and helped run a charter sailboat for a year in the British Virgin Islands. The intention was to sail to the United States. While cruising, I worked at various jobs and made and sold art where opportunities presented themselves. This eventually led me to become a self-taught sign painter, specializing in lettering boats. Wishing to improve my work, I learned of an art school in Boston, where I completed degrees in both sign painting and commercial art. At the same time, I met my husband and started a family.
Mostly my art remained dormant while raising two sons. That changed in 2016 when I took a giant leap and rented a studio in Framingham. For the first time, I had a dedicated, official space for creating art. It was a gift that I gave to myself. I’m so grateful to have the time, space and materials to create full time. What was even better was the unexpected pleasure of discovering other passionate artists and becoming part of a large and growing community of them. Community brought opportunities and, especially important, exposed me to the compelling work of fellow artists. I was lucky to meet Margaret Gerding, an especially skilled painter and teacher, and I’ve taken many workshops from her. That has accelerated my learning.
Art is meditative. I love to experiment with a variety of different subjects and materials. Because of the freedom to create what I wish, more and more I seek to express how a subject makes me feel, rather than to accurately depict objects or scenes. It’s gratifying when my work can make others feel something too.
Paint and all types of art materials remain as magical to me as those enticing pots of finger paint in kindergarten! Understanding color mixing and different media is a lifelong pursuit. And as a wise artist friend told me, “It’s not what you see, but how you see” that determines the success of the piece. Painting is often hard work and even discouraging, especially when I’m dissatisfied with the results. At other times the process flows and delights me. Especially important is learning to let go of the inevitable failures. They are part of the learning process, and if I don’t ever fall down, that means I’m not moving forward.