Featured Artist: George McKim

1. Tell me a bit about yourself (name, location, affiliations, personal stuff).

My name is George McKim. I was born in Wilmington, NC and I have been living in Raleigh, NC for the past 15 years. I'm married, my wife's name is Betty and she is a Jeweler and we have 2 adult children, age 23 (twin boys) who both recently graduated from college. My "day job" is working for a printing company as a graphic artist and I try to make my artwork in my "spare time" which as most artists know is a challenge, but not impossible. I have a Masters degree in Painting and Drawing from East Carolina University. I'm a serious person but I have a good sense of humor and I love comedy. I take my artwork seriously but I try not to take myself too seriously.

2. What inspires you? Where do your ideas come from?

My inspiration comes from other artwork and from nature. Vincent Van Gogh is probably my favorite artist and I am truly inspired by his paintings and drawings because of the directness of both his technique and his expression. Nature also inspires me and is a great source of colors, patterns, marks, spatial relationships and pictorial imagery. I'm not sure where my ideas come from, but most of good ideas come to me as a kind of vague idea and when I start making art from the idea it changes and morphs and gets even better.

3. What is the best thing you have ever created?

The best thing I have ever created is my children, but that was really a collaborative project :-) But seriously, the best thing I ever created is a large abstract mixed media painting, about 6' x 8', about 20 years ago. It's fun and exciting to make large paintings, but it's also impractical.

4. What is the best thing about your products?

The best thing about my products is the fact that they are something that can be enjoyed for many years, or even generations, and they allow the viewer to participate by using their imagination to complete the picture, so to speak.

5. What is the best homemade/handmade item you have ever bought?

The best homemade item I ever bought was a lamp made with steel rods and a big river rock, very cool.

Etsy Shop: http://GeorgeMcKim.etsy.com
Blog: http://georgemckim.blogspot.com/