Kim DelRe and Silk Paintings
When artist Kim DelRe began her search for a soul‑thrilling medium, she knew she had found it when she discovered the art of painting on silk. “I knew the first time I touched brush to silk that I had found the love I'd been looking for”says DelRe. “I felt that I had found a medium compatible with my own personality. The serendipitous flow of the dyes, the ways they blend and move excited me then and continue to do so today.”
DelRe's journey into silk painting began in 1995. What started as a leisure interest became full‑time work in 1999 when DelRe left her job in the field of Human Services to pursue her dream of a career in art and fine craft.
Today, DelRe is a juried member of the Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen, the Sheltowee Artisans, as well as other regional arts organizations. Her work can be seen in galleries and shops throughout Kentucky as well as outside the state, including the Smithsonian Museum gift shops and the Cincinnati Contemporary Art Center. In 2004, Kim was selected as one of nine international artists for a special exhibit of silk banners displayed in the National Botanic Gardens, Washington, DC.
Many of DelRe's artworks are inspired by the designs found in nature and represent interpretations of her rural Kentucky home while others are borne to her in dreams. Color is an important aspect of DelRe's work. “I do not strive for perfect symmetry within a piece but rather my goal is to evoke an emotional response with color and the rhythm and movement of line” explains DelRe.
Born in Chicago, Kim has been a Somerset resident since 1981. She lives with her husband, Tom Kean, and their four-legged companions, Max, the dog, and three cats, Oliver, George, and Miko. Kim has one daughter, Samantha Layton, son-in-law, Michael, and two grandsons, Noah and Levi.
