Kim Tinuviel

Photography, Encaustic, Oil Painting, Mixed Media Sculpture

Is there something you can’t live without in your studio?

That’s hard because it’s the camera, the phone, and the computer. The painting stuff... I don’t want to live without either, but that is so many pieces and really I can be creative with just the camera and the computer. I shoot with Nikons mostly, but it just depends what I am trying to do.

What is currently your favorite piece created in your studio?

My best seller is this piece (first below) because it is an award winner. It’s agricultural fields in Eastern Washington and the trees that form the windbreak between the fields. All of my paintings right now are in another gallery but many of my paintings are similar to the [ones above my workstation].

How long have you been working out of this space? How has it evolved over time?

I moved in the Winter 2018, so this will be my third year working in this studio. The evolution was that I expected this to be more of a gallery setting with just a small space for working and it’s turned into the opposite. It’s a larger space for working and a smaller space for a gallery. The focus is more on production and less on selling.

“Not all work you do in your studio is active painting or creating, a lot of it is contemplation and just looking at the work you’ve done and dreaming about the next step.”

What tips would you give someone thinking about creating their own studio?

The big one for me is: Make it a place you want to spend time in. I am the most productive when I get out of bed and I want to be in my studio more than I want to be anywhere else. Give yourself every comfort and convenience. Make sure to give yourself a comfortable place to sit because not all work you do in your studio is active painting or creating, a lot of it is contemplation and just looking at the work you’ve done and dreaming about the next step.

Why do you find it important to have a space solely for creativity?

It needs to be a space where you don’t have to clean up every night. If you are creating on your dinner table, you have to put everything away so that you can have dinner. You don’t want it to be dual-use space. You want to be able to leave a mess overnight or all month or all year. You need to have dedicated space.