Category Archives: Articles

San Francisco Chronicle 2023 Birthday Article

For my birthday, G. Allen Johnson wrote a wonderful article for the San Francisco Chronicle’s Datebook section entitled, “Kim Novak came to San Francisco, and San Francisco was never the same.”

There is an icon in the top right corner you can use to read a larger version, or you can download the article to read when you’re offline. It might take a moment to load.

Download (PDF, 2.05MB)

And here is the video that Mr. Johnson closed his article with:

YOU HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE AND I AM MOST GRATEFUL!

I want to thank you who have given me the much-needed appreciation and understanding to express myself through the arts. I hope that you are aware of how much you have touched me. I ask for your forgiveness in not providing you with your well-deserved, one on one, response. My full and rewarding life style has much to do with the need to prioritize my time. Yes, time has become even more precious and elusive as these years have flown by.

Please know and feel my appreciation for your special gift of inspiration that gives me the courage to move forward on my predestined path. My gift to you is the many secret messages contained in my art.

KIM

Video: Kim Prepares for Opening of her 2019 Retrospective

I thought you might enjoy seeing a video of last minute preparations for my Retrospective at the Butler Art Museum. My good friend, Linda Solomon, sent it last week for the one year anniversary of the exhibition. You will have a chance to see some of my never exhibited early artworks — including a large oil painting of my Sis!

I’m pleased to be able to share this with you.
❤️ Kim

PS: Be sure and look for the beautiful scarf with my painting, “If Only,” on it. Linda had it specially made for the exhibit!

When you click the link below, the video will play in a new tab in your browser.

Kim Novak Butler Retrospective by Linda Solomon

New Paintings Coming Soon!

This has been such a tragic time in history for all of us in this world — and it has touched us all in so many ways. Please know that my heart goes out to each and every one of you. May we find peace together in a brighter tomorrow!

Hannah and I have been putting together many new paintings and poems for my website. Hopefully, looking at them can bring you some pleasure. Most were introduced as part of my Retrospective exhibit at the Butler Museum of American Art last year. How special it was for me to witness and feel the appreciation for my lifetime’s work in art! For me, it was more rewarding than if I had received a Hollywood “Oscar”!

Anyway, you can expect a notice on Facebook, any day now, from Hannah that she has all the information and pictures ready to post on my website. These paintings are inspired by my life’s experiences, actions and reactions. In one of my favorites, called “LOST AND FOUND HORIZONS,” I painted a picture that could be interesting if hung and viewed in any of its four directions…depending on one’s mood. So I painted images to be discovered from any angle.

By now you may know that when you look at any of my paintings, they are not always just what they first appear to be — you may want you to look for more to be revealed. I will be excited to learn of your reactions and interpretation…and, just in case you want to know where my head and heart was during its ‘birthing’ process, read my poem and follow the CLUES!

I hope you will enjoy the journey into my mind and soul — colored, of course, by my imagination.

Enjoy!!!

~ Kim

PS. Hannah and I changed the painting at the top of my Facebook page. It is part of one of my new pastels and a good example of my surrealistic style. Try seeing if you can find something that is not only what it appears to be!

Have fun with it!!!

Private Exhibition in Palm Springs

My best friend, Sue Cameron, and John Monahan, the owner of an exquisitely exclusive art gallery, invited the most important residents of Palm Springs for a private exhibition. Kim explained a few of her paintings to the rapt audience. “What you first see is not necessarily the story,” said Kim. “I always put hidden objects in my paintings and and you need to look at them for a long time to get the messages. My art is everything to me. I rarely have chosen to part with any of my originals. They are my children.”

Kim did sell one of her original oil paintings for $25,000 before she returned home to the Rogue Valley, Oregon.

Kim Novak with friend Sue Cameron and John Monahan, Palm Springs art gallery owner
Kim Novak with best friend Sue Cameron and John Monahan, Palm Springs art gallery owner

 

Kim Novak explains her paintings at a private exhibition in Palm Springs
Kim Novak explains her paintings at a private exhibition in Palm Springs