Artist Marina Kim breathes life and character into her mixed media portraits, capturing the essence of her subjects. Visit her website to see more.
“Portrait of Anne Phillips” Oil on Canvas, 77cm x 63cm
My work is motivated by my deep-seated curiosity about people. Art is the perfect tool, medium, vantage point and excuse to exercise that curiosity.
“Portrait of Richard Mwangi” Oil on Canvas, 46cm x 56cm
I have been studying and practicing fine art for thirty years now and have explored many techniques and media within the traditional genres of figurative representation—still life, portrait, human form, landscape and illustration. Gradually, portraiture has come to be the genre that I love the most.
“Portrait of Eve Delf – 1” Mezzotint, 45cm x 74cm
I was born and spent my childhood in Uzbekistan before moving to South East England. The Republican Art College in Tashkent trained me in the style of Soviet art.
“Portrait of Alice” Tempera on Board, 35cm x 40cm
The curriculum consisted predominantly of academic life drawing and painting with the foundations of anatomy, perspective and the history of art. This routine helped to develop the skills and style I find very useful now in my portraiture work.
“Portrait of the Neilson Family” Oil on Canvas, 200cm x 175cm
My move to Britain brought with it exposure to a plethora of different approaches to fine arts as well as new visual styles and languages.
“Portrait of Lottie-Lou” Acrylic on Canvas, 92cm x 92cm
Some fascinating, some shocking, more often than not these diverse visual trends confirmed that my traditional training in figurative art is right and true for me. At the same time, I find it invaluable for my artistic growth to live near London and to have access to both the contemporary art world and the masterpieces of art history in its galleries and museums.
“Portrait of Jimper Sutton” Oil on Canvas, 30cm x 40cm
I enjoy every one of the many aspects of portraiture work; the interaction with my sitters and getting to know them, the multitude of decisions to be made on the path of turning the familiar yet complex human form into a piece of art, and handling the technical nuances of the work.
“Portrait of Claire and Bailey” Oil on Canvas, 100cm x 100cm
Collaboration with portrait clients is an essential part of the creative process and the one I enjoy the most. It gives me an opportunity to get to know another human being and invariably to come to love and appreciate them.
Artist Marina Kim in her studio
Staying open to my sitters’ views and desires for the final art piece also allows me a new perspective on my work, expanding my understanding of it.
“No Climbing” Oil and Acrylic on Canvas, 91cm x 91cm
It is as though my portrait sitters and I hold mirrors up to each other and integrate the best of each other into our own experiences.
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