About Me
My Background
- Self-taught, I sold my first piece of art in 3rd grade, wood burning and painting on electrical wire spools my Dad brought home from work.
- I had an elementary teacher who encouraged my potential as an artist. He took me out in the field to draw birds, plants and flowers for his work with the local Audubon Society.
- That experience began my appreciation of nature's variety of colors and patterns. This love of the outdoors, playing in the dirt surrounded by life made it easy to work with my Mother who owned a florist and greenhouse.
My Medium combines Earth, Fire and Water
- An accomplished Watercolor, Pyrographic & Scratchboard Artist, my work has been in many group exhibitions and solo gallery shows.
- My original watercolors, pastels, scratchboards and prints hang in numerous private collections throughout the USA.
- My Gourds have been collected by art enthusiasts for the last decade.
- After owning a successful gallery in Illinois for many moons, I moved to rural Nevada in 1995 with my husband, children and our usual menagerie of animals.
- Continuing to paint and raise a family on a small farm. I found gourds growing in my garden. I was hooked on the process of planting seeds, watching the crop grow and waiting up to 18 months for them to cure and dry. When I see and feel the energy of a raw gourd, it is just as inspiring as a piece of watercolor paper.
My Inspiration is Vast and Infinite. Truly Esoteric!
2 Dimensional Watercolors or 3 Dimensional Gourd Art?
It all starts inside and by the time it works it’s way out
... reality happens.
The process is a journey that amazes me!
Kristina Simkins
Retail Shop Located at 50 S. Virginia St.
Downtown Reno, Nevada