Moon Rabbits, Counting Sheep 2 and More!

December 27, 2020 in Art

Hi Everyone,

As the year winds down and a new year is about to begin, I wanted to leave you with one last post in 2020. It has been quite a year, and as I was reflecting about all that has happened, love and connection, are on the forefront of my mind.

This time last year, I had created and was just beginning to exhibit some new sculpture: Moon Rabbit, Counting Sheep, and others. As I recently looked back at these works of art, I was inspired to create some drawings, using them as a basis. Now this back and forth way of working in three-dimensional and two-dimensional mediums is not usual for me. I do it regularly because I find each media gives me a different perspective on an idea. In this case, I felt the need to further explore all living beings need for love and connection.

The first of two drawings I just finished is Moon Rabbits, which is now apart of my Farm Series. It is shown in the image below.

Moon Rabbits

Moon Rabbits plays with both rabbits’ pleasing inherent, round shape, and the mythical beliefs surrounding these creatures. In this drawings, I placed a pair of rabbits in a Moon-lit surreal landscape, who are visually, and emotionally, connected. While I was creating it, I was thinking about how two beings seem to fuse together intellectually, and physically, in long-term loving relationships. Maybe you too have noticed this happen to a couple you know.

The second of these two drawings was Counting Sheep 2, also now apart of my Farm Series. It is shown in the image below.

Counting Sheep

Counting Sheep plays off the term ‘counting sheep’ and the social nature of sheep, which helps me to understand the interpersonal dynamics of groups. In Counting Sheep 2, I placed a pair of sheep in another Moon-lit surreal landscape. They are emotionally, but not quite visually, connected. I did this because I was thinking about the rare instance, thus the blue moon, when you first meet your soul-mate. While you maybe instantly drawn to your other half, it takes time to develop a true understanding of how two halves can make a whole.

New Years Plans?

My New Years plans are simple, to keep productive and connected. On the productive side, I am developing both of these drawings into serigraphs, or silkscreen prints as well as working on more drawing for my Farm Series. On the connected side, I shall be showing this year’s serigraph, To Be or Not To Be - Forest, at The Art Center in Dover, New Hampshire. This International Open Juried Exhibition, titled Printmaking from the Edge, will be accessible both virtually as well as physically in January. I will write more about that exhibtion, and provide a link to it in my next post and email. And, I should also mention my solo exhibition at GR Art Gallery in Stamford, Connecticut will run into March. A link to that gallery’s website and my page is: http://www.grartgalleries.com/show.html I hope you will tell me what you think about these exhibitions by contacting us here at Zimmerman Fine Art Studio.

Best Wishes!

With love and connection still on my mind, I wish Everyone best wishes in the New Year!

Kathleen Zimmerman

Unique and Meaningful Gifts for You and Yours!

December 02, 2020 in Art

Hand-made fine art silkscreen prints titled Anchored and Adrift , intaglio chine colle’ prints titled Yin Yang along with an artist book titled Look to Nature are some of the unique and meaningful gifts that you can give to your loved ones and yourself!

Magical black and white seascaspes with splashes of vibrant color celebrate family life.

Kathleen Zimmerman’s latest pair of serigraphs, Mid-Life Series - Anchored and Adrift use moons, boats, waves and fish to take a look at the joys and growing pains of family life in an endearing way. Anchored looks at a tight family unit that is 'anchored' in their home life. While it might not always feel like smooth sailing, there is joy in the bonds that develop. Adrift looks at this family unit as it slowly but surely 'drifts' apart as children grow up and move away from the from the family home. While it can feel like choppy seas, there is joy to be found if the bonds hold true.

Mythical animals, people and landscapes help us gain an understanding of today’s China.

These ten intaglio chine colle’ prints, Animals, Musicians, Pets, River, Trees, Landscape and Ocean were inspired by Kathleen Zimmerman’s first impressions of China. She created them intimate in scale, in reverence to the “chops” used there. They portray what Kathleen Zimmerman felt was ‘so Chinese’, from an foreigner’s point of view. From goats that wander any open land, female and male musicians playing Chinese instruments, caged birds socializing in the parks, dusty dogs sitting by roadsides, ducks swimming happily down rivers, ancient trees looked after in parks, the great wall winding along the crest of hills, lines of newly planted trees growing in fields, to seals speaking their own unique language to whoever will listen, they are all transformed into meaningful glimpses into this world. All these prints can be seen and adopted at either Tilting ar Windmills Gallery in Manchester, Vermont or GR Art Gallery in Stamford, Connecticut.

https://www.blurb.com/b/10377473-look-to-nature

Thought-provoking artwork that looks to nature for inspiration.

A perfect way to enjoy and share Kathleen Zimmerman’s current collection of hand-made serigraphic prints is by collecting our recently published book, Look to Nature. Besides the lovely images, it contains brief descriptions about their inspiration, third party quotes from other artists and gallery owners, an insightful artist statement and a brief biography of the artist. We made this book easy to preview, and to acquire, by providing a link above so just click and order it today!

Star Series - Sun, design for next serigraph, created and copyrighted by Kathleen Zimmerman — *Star Series - Sun,* design for next serigraph, created and copyrighted by Kathleen Zimmerman

Unique and meaningful gifts.

These are just a few examples of the unique and meaningful gifts that are available. For our full collection just look on this website or visit either one of our galleries, Tilting at Windmills in Vermont or GR Art Gallery in Connecticut. As a special offer for taking the time to read this post, we are offering benefits to those who preorder Kathleen Zimmerman’s serigraph of Sun, imaged above. Contact us for further information.

We at Zimmerman Fine Art Studio hope this post finds you and yours, healthy, and happy, as we wish you Best Wishes for this Holiday Season!

Zimmerman Fine Art Studio

Exploring (Look to Nature)

November 08, 2020 in Art

You are invited!

Join us for the opening of Kathleen Zimmerman’s solo exhibition at GR Art Gallery Saturday, November 14, 2020. Her latest cast sculpture including Counting Sheep Two, and her collection of hand-made silkscreen prints including her latest, To Be or Not To Be? Forest, will make their debuts.

Kathleen Zimmerman is a visual artist who finds inspiration and insight into the world around her by looking to nature. Elements from the natural world along with 'abstract ethereal beings' populate her work as she explores ideas concerning relationships, the environment and culture.

GR Art Gallery proudly presents these thought-provoking creations and is in pristine condition. So, come ponder these cosmic and mythic depictions of animals, nature, culture, humankind, and be amazed at Zimmerman’s symbolic sensibility.

Kathleen Zimmerman will be in attendance and has offered to gift a copy of her newly published book, Look to Nature, to those who adopt one of her precious works of art!

Note: Masks are required. This exhibition, Exploring (Look to Nature), will be installed at the gallery until March 7, 2021 for those not currently in the area.

To Be or Not to Be?

August 30, 2020

What does an artist create for today’s world?

Rising Star?

June 24, 2020

Why does Kathleen Zimmerman think that zebras are Rising Stars?

Kathleen Zimmerman’s latest drawing, Rising Star, is the fourth in her Star Series. The idea behind this series is to portray a variety of animals that have for some reason or another grabbed our attention and become stars, in a sense. Stars, in that they have become icons that are used widely in stories and popular culture.

Star Series - Rising, drawing, created and copyrighted by Kathleen Zimmerman — *Star Series - Rising,* drawing, created and copyrighted by Kathleen Zimmerman

Zebras have long been featured in African folktales but in recent times have found themselves front and center in American popular culture. Most notably in films such as, Madagascar, Racing Stripes and Khumba. This is why Zimmerman sees them as rising stars. She believes these iconic animals are featured in popular culture due to their inherent design and sociability. The fact that they exhibit the ultimate mastery of design, both in their coats and their form, is one reason. It is hard to imagine a more distinctive and pleasing coloration. Each zebra has its own unique patterning much like each human has its own unique fingerprint. Their physical form is strong and fleet. Their sharp hooves and muscular build are used to ward off predators who get close but its their ability to run full out in large groups that captures our imagination. The other reason they have become “stars”, their social nature. They choose to live in groups, from small family-sized groups to large-scale herds, bonding to whatever group they find themselves in. When they are not being threatened, they live quite peacefully helping each other by loosening matted hair with their teeth or fanning flies away from their herd mates with their tails as they graze the grasslands or mountainsides. These aspects endear them to us. So, when thinking about the Stars of the animal world, it is no wonder Kathleen Zimmerman chose them for inclusion.

For those who have not seen our related post concerning Kathleen Zimmerman’s Star Series, we are sharing images of her first two serigraphs from that series, Evening Star and Morning Star. These intense portraits of the wild versions of the cat and the dog, or tiger and wolf, integrate the aesthetic beauty of these animals with hints of their jungle and forest habitats. While these carnivores have long been feared and even hated because they were seen as rivals to humans, this is changing in today’s world as it should be. They are no longer our rivals but worthy fellow creatures that deserve our respect and allowed the space they need to live their lives. They are after all, essential members of healthy wild ecosystems. When left alone in the wild, they create a balance that is beneficial to both the plant and animals’ worlds. In Zimmerman’s serigraphs, she used orange in reference to the evening sky and the tiger’s coat while she used blue in reference to the early morning sky and the wolf’s melancholy song.

An image of Zimmerman’s third serigraph in this series, Star Series - Midday is shown above. Here Zimmerman portrayed the iconic Panda Bear, an undeniable star of the animal world. This masked sweetheart has a way of stealing everyone’s hearts away largely due to its distinctive coloration, gentle nature and clumsy yet adorable way of moving. In Zimmerman’s serigraph, she used green to reference its bamboo forest habitat and its harmonious, optimistic personality.

While the limited-edition, hand-pulled serigraphic prints of Star Series - Rising have not been created yet, the image above shows its design. Along with the depiction of a zebra, hints of its savanna and mountainside complete this composition. Zimmerman plans to use a golden background to symbolize the rising sun, grasslands and enlightenment that is needed to protect them from endangerment and extinction.

Kathleen Zimmerman’s digital print edition is now available, but we will let you know when the serigraphic prints become available on this website and through our emailing list. If you are not on our email list, go to the contact page on this website and sign up to get periodic emails about Kathleen Zimmerman’s latest creations!

Zimmerman Fine Art Studio