In March and April, SoGlo Gallery, at 1413 Newcastle in Historic Downtown Brunswick hosts an exhibit by Kim Thayer, an artist of fine original oil paintings. Her canvases capture the natural splendor and endless beauty that surround us, from marshes and dunes to shorelines and shady forests. Kim herself is just as vibrant and her life story has been painted with bold strokes, soft nuance, and a remarkable combination of talent and legacy of artistic skill.
Although she was born and raised in rural Pennsylvania, Kim’s connections to Sea Island and the Golden Isles are strong. Her paternal grandmother, Eliza “Lilah” Talbott Thayer, was the sister and very close friend of Katharine “Kit” Talbott Jones, wife of Alfred W. Jones, builder and owner of Sea Island Company. Ms. Thayer had great success in Philadephia as a fine portrait sculptress in the 20s-70s. Even through the Great Depression she was able to make money through commissions for fountains and busts for the wealthy. She visited St. Simons Island and Sea Island often and produced sculptures, many of which may still be here. Kim is eternally grateful that her Aunt Kit and Uncle Bill provided her with numerous second cousins who reside locally and she treasures as pals.
Kim recalls growing up on the family’s old mill property with the old stone house and converted barn, and the white-washed mill house where her grandmother had her studio. She fondly remembers time spent with her 17 first cousins, and a house full of laughter and music, as well as nights on the screened sleeping porch with the sounds of the bullfrogs as their “lullaby.” It was in her grandmother’s studio that Kim would hone her drawing skills. Kim says whether music, drawing, painting, or writing, she was always doing something creative from a young age. The fact that her grandmother was always up for an adventure, such as taking her flyfishing in Wyoming at age 15, was also formative in Kim’s life.
But that wasn’t the only artistic and adventuresome influence in the family. Kim’s mother's father, Charles Moeser, was an accomplished artist who produced many drawings, paintings and sculptures that may still be found in private homes here. He and his wife, Rita, a New York socialite, were well-known here in the Golden Isles, starting what would become the Humane Society of South Coastal Georgia and organizing the Animal Kingdom Ball for years. Many people have memories of “Mrs. Mo.” Their fondness for animals certainly passed down, as Kim is accompanied by her own sweet pup, Daisy, as she travels and paints.
Kim went to school in New England through high school, where some of her fondest memories are studying architectural design under the eaves of the classical mansion turned high school which granted her a scholarship. As a senior, she was granted a coveted independent study award for her artistic skill to the renowned etching studio, Crown Point Press in Oakland, California. In this avant-garde enclave of minimalist and abstract master artists including John Cage, Christo, and Richard Diebenkorn, Kim was exposed to extraordinary artistic works in process.
1 of 4
2 of 4
3 of 4
4 of 4
Kim later attended the University of California at Berkeley, focusing on black and white photography, drawing, writing and global climate change studies. She also studied at the San Francisco Art Institute and has since worked with many mentors. following the centuries old tradition of studying under practicing master artists. She explains, “School was too slow for me. They could be spending hours teaching portraiture, and I knew I wasn’t interested in portraiture and would never work in portraiture, so it was a waste of my time. Instead, I have sought out mentors and educators to learn from them. But not to spend too much time with any one of them, because you don’t want to mimic their work, and they don’t want that either.”
Because, Kim says, she didn’t know how it was possible to make a living as an artist, she has held many jobs over the years. During high school summers, she worked on cattle ranches in the Rocky Mountains, learning the meaning of hard work and long hours. With a strong work ethic and a need to channel her artistic creativity, she has found jobs that allow her to do this, such as working for a toy company overseeing submissions by inventors. Kim’s rich array of experience, including working in marketing, has allowed her to broaden her life and to keep pushing for improvement and commercial success through her art.
Now Kim’s goal is to produce the most beautiful paintings in the most beautiful places in the world. She primarily paints on location, outdoors, or “en plein air.” She does this to capture the feeling of the place and let it flow onto the canvas. Kim is not solely a plein air painter; however. She reworks outdoor studies into very large canvases in the studio and often keeps small paintings for years to use later for other larger pieces, much like a writer uses essays. When Kim is here, you can frequently find her out painting at Gould’s Inlet; it’s one of her favorite spots. Others are Cannon’s Point Road and Epworth by the Sea for the sunset. If you do see her, don’t hesitate to stop and say hello or ask her about her work.
Kim’s art is about celebrating nature and she thinks it’s well worth the extra effort to be immersed in it (even with the gnats!). She finds few things more gratifying than painting outdoors where she is part of the land, light and water, and can express that connection through paint and canvas. Kim hopes that her paintings not only make you want to be standing right in the spot she has captured, but also make you want to preserve and protect these beautiful locations. She believes that we are blessed to have clean coastal water, small farms, nature preserves, and wilderness, and the benefit of these things in our lives is incalculable and essential to our healthy evolution.
Please come out to meet this fascinating fine artist and see her works at the opening reception for the exhibit at SoGlo Gallery from 4:30-7:30 p.m. on March 2. The show will be on display through May 1. For a look at Kim’s online gallery or to commission her work, visit kimthayer.com.
