The Art of Kimmy Cantrell

Largely self-taught, Kimmy Cantrell discovered his artistic vision in high school, but never considered art could be his livelihood. Decades later, his life came full circle. “I just decided one day that it was time to reconnect with the clay so I picked some up and sculpted a vase.“ Kimmy’s vases evolved into bowls, and bowls, faces. And, well, he hasn’t stopped creating since. Kimmy enjoys developing fresh variations on three recurring themes: faces, still lifes, and the female anatomy. He counterbalances seemingly irreconcilable elements to create pleasing compositions. Half of a nude sculpture entices with its glossy, candy-apple red glaze, while the other retreats in flat, earthy tones. Kimmy uses such asymmetry to challenge traditional definitions of beauty. “I want to show the beauty within flaws,” the artist explains. “Imperfections tell stories that are far more compelling than perfection.” Kimmy’s vibrantly colored faces tell stories, too, and they’re written in the eyes and titles. “I manipulate the shape and position of eyes to express a range of emotions,” he remarked, “and the titles of my work often reflect my own life experiences.” Kimmy also uses still life collages of clay and metal to tell his story. Through his fragmented watermelon, flowers and fish, for instance, the artist recounts fond childhood memories of cooking, gardening and fishing with his grandmother. Visit Kimmy’s site at www.kimart.com