Growing up in DC, and later as a student in Paris and London, Kim gravitated to art museums as if to a place of worship, or a source of nourishment.

While earning a Master’s degree in Psychology from Naropa University Kim developed an obsession with Ashtanga yoga and Buddhist meditation. After working for years as a psychotherapist, she then spent spent the better part of 15 years living in South and Southeast Asia leading retreats that offered contemplative practice, psychology and creative process as tools for personal growth. She maintains a small private practice of online counseling clients.

She is the author of two books: Ashtanga Yoga for Beginner’s Mind and Toward a Secret Sky: Creating Your Own Modern Pilgrimage.

While painting has always been part of her personal practice, she committed to making art when she discovered the encaustic wax medium in 2015.

Kim divides her time between Crestone and Denver, Colorado.

BlueGreen #6, Kim Roberts

“I’m fascinated by the ever-changing moods of the natural world–the color of uranium mountains at sunset, purple snow shadows on a cactus field, or the sky’s electric intensity before a thunderstorm. I’m also interested in the moods, or states of mind evoked by being in nature, and enjoy the challenge of expressing these emotions in color and form.

BlueGreen #9, Kim Roberts

Come With Me

“As a long-time meditation practitioner, I notice that what’s right before my eyes often gets obscured by the thinking mind. Making art helps me ground the practice of awareness in the present moment. The activity of painting is truly the only thing that stops my mind for any significant period of time. So I’m interested not only in the subjects I paint, but also the process itself. I try to capture the ineffable atmosphere in which things take place—the quality of mind that accommodates all things.

“Having spent much of my adult life as an expat in South Asia, I’ve seen how art connects us to each other in a way that transcends culture. How language influences what we see–or don’t see. How emotional states are shared universally, and how they can be communicated by a simple gesture, image or tone.

Interdiminsional, Kim Roberts

“Art has a way of creating bonds through sharing that experience. “This is how I experience life,” an artist says through a piece of work. Communicating offers the possibility of connection. In my younger days, I remember the huge relief I felt at reading Kurt Vonnegut or Henry Miller and feeling for the first time that I was not alone in my suspicion of what we collectively call reality. I’d spend hours wandering through museums, reveling in the audacity or serenity of a painting, but mostly appreciating that connection with other artists.

Learning To Fly, Kim Roberts

The Heart Of The Matter, Kim Roberts

“Each piece I create is an attempt to plant a seed of awareness, and to invite the viewer into a deeper experience of their own awareness—a sort of meditation in action. My hope is to convey how art is a bridge to this experience of connection– with ourselves, with each other, and with something larger than ourselves.”

Wondering Whether To Come Up For Air, Kim Roberts

You can check out Roberts’ work during First Friday Open Studio on February 7^th. Stop by 3525 Walnut Street, Walnut Workshop #38 in Denver.

You can also see her work on her website at https://kimrobertsart.com/.

Jared Herzing Creative Arts Editor

Jared is a local content contributor and aspiring author. He was fortunate enough to grow up in Golden, Colorado and graduated from MSU Denver. While an insatiable love of travel lures him all over the world, his roots remain firmly planted here. He enjoys writing short stories, poetry, children's books, societal observations, and everything else. A nature enthusiast and sunshine connoisseur, Jared is perfectly at home on any mountaintop or patio. He frequents art galleries and concerts, poetry readings and breweries, museums and bookstores. When he isn't making neighbors cringe at his musical attempts he can be found on a snowboard or sailboat, depending on the day. A perpetual adventurer and eternal patron of the road less traveled.