After seeing an image of her sculpture in our May Issue, Kim invited us into her home and studio. As soon as we entered the front door, we saw a beautiful display of a life well-lived. Kim is an artist in every sense of the word. From her eclectic collections, to her iconic ceramic pieces, she embodies creativity.
How did you first discover your love of sculpting?
I first began working with clay after college. I was teaching art to elementary students and they loved clay so I decided I better learn about it myself. I took some wonderful workshops and retreats and I did fall in love with it. I had always been a 3-D artist but I was intrigued by clay.
It is clear from your designs that you are inspired by people and your natural surroundings. Where else do you find inspiration and what motivates the evolution of your pieces?
I come from a long line of truly gifted storytellers. I often want the pieces to tell a story or evoke a feeling. I am now working on some diorama-like scenes that contain a bit of a story. One of my most vivid childhood memories is of my grandmother’s kitchen, filled with strong, Colorado sunshine. There my grandmother would ‘hold court’ at her kitchen table, two of her grown sons stopping in each weekday morning for a breakfast that included toast made from homemade bread and the freshest eggs I ever tasted. At that table my Nonnie would tell stories; stories about all of us, stories about days past, some sad or embarrassing, but mostly funny ones. Her upper arms would jiggle as she gestured, her coffee would grow cold in its cup, forgotten as the story grew and filled the kitchen. Out back the horses would hang their heads over the wire fence as though they too, wanted to hear. It was mesmerizing and magical, for a young girl to sit at the Formica table and just let the stories and laughter of grownups wash over me.
And this is precisely what I want to do as an artist. I want to tell such magical, funny stories that the viewer feels like a youngster, at the family table, listening closely to stories about what makes us all so similar, so funny and so very, very dear.
Are you from Denver originally?
I grew up in Denver and then lived in several other states before returning to Denver. We have lived in our Washington Park house for nearly 30 years. A fun fact is that although our house was built in 1906, we are only the 2nd owners. We purchased the house from a 90-year-old woman who was born in the front bedroom. Her father built the house and we have photos from the early 1900. There are no trees anywhere. Hard to imagine the Washington Park neighborhood without trees!
Can you tell us about your process and studio?
I never am exactly sure how a sculpture will look when I begin working on it. I start with a vague idea, or if I am working on pieces for a show, a theme. Each piece takes anywhere from a several days to several weeks to complete. I fire all of the pieces at least twice. The first firing is a lower temperature bisque firing and then the second firing is a higher firing once I have applied the glaze to the pieces. My pieces are all fired to a high enough temperature that they can be placed outside.
Have you ever dabbled in other art mediums?
I have done some jewelry work, wood-carving, and painting. This summer my goal is 30 small paintings of clouds. Needless to say, the weather has cooperated with this goal.
Did you see the recent movie Showing Up? It offers a glimpse into the daily life of an artist, a sculptor more specifically. Did you find it to be relatable?
I saw the movie with a dear friend who teaches art at Metro State. We giggled through the whole movie. I had attended art school and she is obviously still part of that environment. The movie perfectly captured the characters and situations of that hot house environment but with kindness and humor.
What can we expect from you in the future?
What to expect in the future, sigh. More ceramic work and also I do little hidden installations around the neighborhood upon occasion. The last ones were on Easter of painted rocks to mirror the look of robins eggs that I placed in a nest in a little corner of a walkway. I like to imagine how delighted I would be to find an art surprise.
Where can we find your work?
My work is available in Denver at Artists on Santa Fe Gallery which is located at 747 Santa Fe Drive. I also have an annual sale at our home here in Washington Park. Anyone who is interested can add their name to my mailing list by contacting me via email at Kdufford@msn.com. This show is usually in the late summer or early fall.
We will see you at your show, Kim! Thank you for letting us peek inside your studio.