Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Kimball.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I always dabbled in art since I was in high school, but art never made me feel electric until I was 19 and working in one of the maintenance departments at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC. I remember having a job to do in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and as I walked in the door to my right there was a piece of student artwork that stunned me. I felt it in my bones, and recall wishing that I could create something like that. It was on from then. I wanted to figure out a way to make things like that student work I saw.
I continued to dabble and sketch from that point forward, but I was still very raw in my understanding of painting and techniques. It wasn’t till 20 years later that I begin to find myself as a painter. When I turned 40 I was working at a senior assisted living facility as a wellness director. My job was to create programming that provided engagement and purpose for seniors living at the community. I decided I would do a painting class. Even with my limited knowledge, I thought that would be a good idea. It was an overwhelming success. The class attendees loved it, and I was able to paint right along beside them. It forced me to paint and come up with new ideas for leading the class. This is when it became more than a hobby.
I began to more and more think in pictures. Time will freeze and I will see or imagine a new image or feeling to be painted.
I started small showing my work at a festival, and selling on Facebook Market Place. Now I’m actively presenting my work for sale on my website and have recently began exploring NFTs as a way to to reach collectors globally. I’m slowly becoming more visible in order to develop my business
What drives me is catching a feeling and giving that feeling a host to live inside. Whatever that medium is – acrylics, clay, resin or pencil and paper. Those things get to be the host of my emotions, day dreams, feelings and thoughts.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road – any creative path has its challenges.
My greatest struggle is accepting how I paint. Early on, I second-guessed my choices, trying to fit a style that wasn’t truly mine. Over time, I’ve learned to trust my instincts, embrace my methods, and let the work reflect how I actually see and feel things.
Another struggle I have faced is showing my work on pubic platforms. It’s intimidating. As an artist, you fall in love with what you produce, but you don’t know how anyone else will feel about it.
Also, pricing, marketing, selling are all steep learning curves. However, I approach it strategically, and every challenge has pushed me to grow, both creatively and professionally.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
First, I’m a painter who works primarily with oil and acrylic. I specialize in expressive, emotive landscapes and abstract compositions, using color and texture to explore the inner landscapes of emotion and human experience.
What sets me apart is the intensity and authenticity of the emotion I try to capture. I don’t just want to paint what I see – I translate the way a scene, a memory, or a feeling hits me, creating work that resonates on a deeper, often subconscious level with the viewer
I’m most proud of my work to build a career that allows me to fully express my creative vision, connecting with other artists and audiences who feel personal resonance with my work. Additionally, exploring NFTs has allowed me to reach a wider, global audience in a new and exciting way.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Many would never know that I played in hard rock bands when I was younger. That energy, and intensity really similar to how I approach painting. Chords and notes can express my inner landscape the same way that painting does. Although I love music, a song always ends. A painting just hangs on the wall and never stops revealing itself.
Pricing:
- Varies by size of painting
- Fluctuates depending on the materials I use in the painting
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jo-nathan-art.com/
- Instagram: jo-nathan-art
