Kim Oller

Artist Bio

Kim Oller is a Studio Arts Major with emphasis in Painting and Drawing. As soon as she was taught to hold a pencil, Kim was drawing and experimenting with different methods of mark making and alternate canvases. Raised in the Catholic Church, sacred images in stained glass, renaissance paintings, and pictures of early church frescos were all part of her upbringing. It was only natural that her interest in art became a predominant part of her life leading her to pursue a path where she could learn all she could about painting, its history, and its advancing changes into the world today.

Artist statement

Skin Deep: Sacred Art is a series of portraits that I have chosen to be of my Church community. Sacred Art reflects upon the mysteries of God, His Creation, and His Glory and the most wonderful example of His Creations are His people. While I know people are not perfect, it is all the more reason I have chosen to interview and share my community’s testimonies. Belief, art, culture, and so much more go into how a person experiences life, it is only natural that this is present in how a person experiences religion. What better way to exemplify the complexities of a community than to share their stories? I could not think of a simpler way than to write it out and paint a picture. It was important for me to revitalize the concept of fresco, which was a traditional medium to paint sacred images, and bring it into a new light I could call my own. The bamboo, linen with homemade gesso, and twine were all chosen as part of a thought experiment on how my own world experiences would influence how I would have made sacred images during the early church period.