Alyson Kinkade

Remembering Plains no. 43

2011

Since graduating from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1999, Alyson Kinkade’s artwork has been widely collected and exhibited throughout the U.S. Her work is displayed publicly in the permanent collections of the cities of Little Rock, AR; Downey, CA; Paramount, CA; Loveland, CO; Platte River Power Authority and Colorado State University. Editorial highlights include features in Southwest Art and American Art Collector magazines. Alyson continues to create new works as a means to uplift, inspire, and connect from her Loveland, Colorado studio. "Over the years my focus has transitioned more and more toward the fleeting beauty that surrounds us daily. My primary goal through the interpretation in paint of my observations of nature is to allow the viewer a moment of respite in the bustle of our days: to celebrate the brilliance of color, get lost in the airiness of the sky, or bask in the quietude of our open spaces." -Alyson Kinkade In addition to abstract landscapes, Kinkade has added custom pet portraiture to the mix. Her series' Happiness Is and Nine Lives began in 2015 and has been widely successful, producing over 100 portraits in the first 2 years. Through her Happiness Is series, Kinkade has helped raise funds for Shelters and Wildlife Rescues, one small way of helping animals find their people. If you have a favorite breed, prints are available of several past portraits. I was accepted into every school I applied including the Chicago Art Institute, Minneapolis College of Art and Design and the School of Visual Arts in New York, but I chose the Kansas City Art Institute because it was a small (600 students) undergraduate school with a large campus and the largest scholarship. The allowance to focus solely on art and related subjects was immeasurable and the professors became more than just that. My junior painting professor, Michael Walling encouraged me to try landscape painting, and my senior painting professor, Ron Slowinski, pushed me to make my colors really speak to the viewer. On breaks from school I would paint with the Schmid group. It's fun to work with artists like Jim Biggers, Cathy Goodale, Lu Haskew, Teresa Vito. I remember they were always down-to-earth and told things exactly how it was. I've always been fortunate to have great mentors to gain wisdom from. Following College I went to the Vermont Studio Center, a 2 month studio space in a gorgeous part of the nation. This was transition period for me into becoming a professional artist. I have since worked at the gallery and painted in my home studio in Loveland, Colorado. Exhibiting in galleries throughout the US and juried shows like the Governor's Art Show where I received "Best in Show" in 2016 with a collaborative work with Jane DeDecker. Our "In the Wings" monument of ballerinas has been placed in the permanent collection of the city of Little Rock, and the garden sized version in Downey, California.