March Giveaway

🎉 It’s a giveaway time! 🎉 Enter to win a set of four coasters featuring my acrylic flower paintings 💐 🎨

To enter the drawing:

1️⃣ Like my page

2️⃣ Comment on this post

3️⃣Share this post with your friends

* Extra chance to enter by signing up for my email newsletter! http://eepurl.com/boPe61

* Must be 18+, US resident*

* Drawing open til Sunday 3/31/19 12pm.*

* Random winner announced on my FB page & IG story*

* You must do all the requirements to qualify, and I must be able to verify you shared the post.*

*This drawing is provided by Kimberly English Art, LLC and by entering you agree to a complete release of Facebook/Instagram and recognize that the drawing is in no way sponsored or endorsed, administered or associated with Facebook/Instagram. Good Luck! 🍀

You can shop all my drinking coaster sets at 💻: bit.ly/DrinkingCoasters

Salem County Fair Results

My 2 current and 1 former private art lesson students all won Best of Show with their entires at the Salem County Fair! Nothing brings me more happiness and pride than the success of my students! I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to teach these amazing young ladies in their artistic journey.

First Picture: Acrylic painting of her chickens by my 12 year old student

Second Picture: Colored pencil drawing of an Iris by my 14 year old student

Third Picture: Graphite and colored pencil drawing of Philadelphia Flyers Shayne Gostisbehere by my former 19 year old student.

Finished Live Event Painting: Rachel & David

This weekend I delivered the finished painting from Rachel & David Sickler's wedding. They had an absolutely perfect summer day for their home farm wedding. As a landscape painter that finds inspiration in the agricultural farms of South Jersey, this wedding was everything that I cherish.

I met with Rachel a couple of days before the wedding to see the ceremony site and discuss the elements that she wanted included in her painting. I took some reference pictures and I was also lucky enough to take some around their beautiful farm. The day of the wedding, I completed about 90% of the painting in just 7 hours. I brought the painting back to my studio to add finishing touches, varnish and a frame.

All of the details in her wedding were so personal and reflected her sweet, thoughtful personality. My favorite things to paint were the straw bales and Rachel's aisle decorations of milk cans and flowers. The texture and colors in the straw bales were so fun to create! I also loved how the milk cans were the same color and shape as the silos. I added these after the wedding and I believe their placement really helped to solidify the composition.

The most difficult parts to paint were the silos. I tried to work on them at the wedding but I quickly decided that it would be best to paint them in my studio where I had more control to create the perspective of their round shape. As in previous wedding paintings, the hands and faces were a challenge since they were extremely (smaller than the size of a dime). However, I enjoy this challenge by using as few strokes and shapes as possible.

It was such a pleasure to work with Rachel and create their wedding painting! It was an honor to be a part of their special day at such an amazing farm. I wish them many years of married bliss with all the blessings that it will bring in the years to come.

Below are pictures of the progression as well as the final painting and Rachel's review of the experience. Click the pictures to enlarge.

With my very good friends, Steve & Kathy Williams

Picture courtesy of Taylor Dubois-Bill

Rachel & David's Live Wedding Painting

"After watching Kim do a live painting at my friend's wedding, I knew I had to have her for our wedding. Kim came with high recommendations from the bride and after seeing the finished product, I knew I had to have her! Kim was super kind, thoughtful, and very professional throughout the entire process. It is evident she is passionate about what she does.

Since the wedding was at our house, Kim stopped beforehand to view the property and how everything would be set up. She took some pictures and noted details I thought I would only notice. Her excitement to paint at our wedding was clear and made it even more enjoyable to work with her.

Kim took no time at all presenting us with the final product which was wrapped and displayed beautifully in a handcrafted wooden frame. I cannot wait to display this timeless, beautiful work of art for years to come and perhaps pass on to future generations. If you are looking for a unique experience for your guests at your wedding in addition to receiving a beautiful painting, look no further than Kim English Art!"

-Rachel Layton Sickler

If you are getting married or would like to gift a couple a live event painting at their wedding, 

click here for more information and to setup a consultation.

Painting Progression: January Blossom

This painting was inspired by a day trip I took with my cousin, Casey, to Longwoods Gardens to celebrate her birthday. It was frigid cold at the end of January 2014, but we enjoyed the tropical warmth of Longwood’s luscious greenhouses. My daughter was just 3 months old at the time and she slept through the entire walk around the greenhouses! After browsing the amazing selection of flowers and plants, we had a lovely lunch at a nearby Olive Garden. The delicious soup and bread sticks warmed us up from the bitter cold.

When choosing a reference picture, I was drawn to this flower for the color shifts within the petals and the vast shapes created by the folds and wrinkles. It was mesmerizing creating the contrasts to show the twists within the petal edges. I also believe, subconsciously, I chose this flower to paint because of the color palette. My last painting, "Distant Vista on Shirley Road", had similar colors which made creating this painting's color shifts rather seamless.

"January Blossom" - Acrylics on Gessobord - 6" x 6" by Kimberly English © 2017

Original and archival prints are available for purchase

Thinking of Spring

I can't wait for warmer weather and more sunshine after all of the rain we received earlier this week. On this cold, windy day I'm thinking of spring! What better way than to view some flower artwork?! Here are some recent works of art completed by my private art lesson students.

The first is a watercolor painting by my 9 year old student. It was her first attempt using this medium and I think she handled it very well!

The next is a colored pencil drawing completed by my 17 year old student. She was interested in the overlapping of the flowers and experimenting with the colors.

Bridal Shower Signs

This past weekend I helped with the decorations for the my sister-in-law's bridal shower. We went for a country picnic theme with potted plants wrapped in burlap, sunflowers and antiques for displays. Below are some of the signs that I made for her special day. If you would like me to make a custom chalkboard sign for your next event, please visit my website by clicking here.

Painting Progression: Watson's Mill in Bloom

Below is the video of the painting progression of my acrylic painting: "Watson's Mill in Bloom" I hope you enjoy!

Arts in Bloom 2015

This past weekend, May 16 and 17, marked my third year participating in the Salem County Arts in Bloom Studio Tour. I always enjoy meeting new people, seeing familiar faces and sharing what I do with the public. Most visitors were local from within the county while others were from neighboring towns seeing what Salem County had to offer.

I had my 13 new paintings from this past year on display and for sale as well as archivable prints and greeting cards featuring my artwork. This year I experienced more people coming to my location (my studio at A Whole New Light). I am thankful to have met so many art appreciators and hope they will return during the holiday season for a work of art or print!

Below are some pictures of my studio. Thank you to A Garden Party for donating the beautiful floral arrangement that was used as a giveaway during the weekend!

Works in Progress: Ebeemee,Maine & Joanie's Wild Flowers

A week has flown by already and I thought I'd share some in progress photographs of the two paintings I am currently working on.

The first painting is a commission based on a 4"x6" vacation photograph from Ebeemee, Maine. I realized while beginning work that I found it difficult to connect with the painting because I had never experienced the place that I was depicting. All of the paintings that I have created are locations of significance to me and where I visit often. However, I was very determined to understand this landscape with what information I had.

I had the amazing opportunity to visit Ebeemee while I was on vacation in Maine this July. I took many reference pictures to gain a better understanding of Maine's landscape as it drastically differs from the farm fields of Southern New Jersey! After vacation, I began working with a new found inspiration. From this painting I have come to realize how important it is to fully experience a landscape to gain a better comprehension of the specific characteristics it has to offer.

Ebeemee, Maine - Acrylics on Canvas - 8" x 12"

I am still working the clouds in the sky and their respective reflections in the lake.

The second painting is based on a picture that I took of wild flowers on Watson's Mill Road. In the two pictures I have shown the progress I have made in the last two sessions. In the first picture, I painted the sky and location of the stems. In the second picture, I blocked out some of the flowers and most importantly started the daunting task of adding more values and textures in the grass. In this painting I want to focus upon the beauty nature offers within chaos.

Joanie's Wild Flowers - Acrylics on Paper - 9"x12" 

I am still working to create depth and texture in the grass as well as forming the flowers

If you have any comments, please feel free to share!