By Julie Osterman
It was through a long, circuitous path that Jamie Kirkland reached her career in fine art. Although she has been drawing since grade school, she did some modeling in New York and owned a restaurant in Florida before moving out West and reconnecting with her artistic roots. Kirkland completed her bachelor’s degree in fine art at the University of Utah in 2004 and now resides in Helper, UT. She maintains a studio there in the building where painters David Dornan and Paul Davis conduct workshops.
Kirkland’s tonal landscapes are a reflection of her love for the West, where the “feeling of space is so immense,” she says. “I find it incredibly soothing and tranquil. My work is primarily about mood and feeling.” She enjoys working with color and mixing pigments on canvas—making a move, watching the effect, and reacting accordingly. Music is also a major part of her creative process. “I have this incredible passion going with Van Morrison,” she says with a laugh. “I also like classical music and opera. It affects the way my brushwork is going and the movements of my body. I like to paint standing up—I feel like a conductor of an orchestra.”
A solo show of Kirkland’s work opens on March 31 at Winterowd Fine Art in Santa Fe, NM. She is also represented by Phoenix Gallery, Park City, UT; g2 Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ; and Gallery Gora, Montreal, Canada.
Featured in “Artists to Watch” March 2006