Meet Trish Kahn | Fine Artist & Art Instructor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Trish Kahn and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Trish, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I have always been adventurous throughout my life by pushing myself outside my comfort zone.. Traveling overseas alone, challenging myself athletically by scuba diving up to 120 foot depths, hiking over boulders and skiing down very challenging mountains in Colorado are just a few of the risks that I have taken. All in all, these challenging endeavors have transferred over into my art processes. I feel that in order to grow as an artist, one must allow that freedom for change and trust the process. My work goes through many stages of addition and subtraction while remaining fearless and connected. to that inner stillness.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a young child, I always loved drawing and color. I would sit in my room for hours creating my own little paper dolls, complete with clothing and dialogue. Even though I was very shy around others, my dolls “spoke” to me which was a way of getting out of my shell. School was not my best friend as there were so many cliques and expectations .If you didn’t meet up to certain standards, you were seen as an outcast. So, through my creative outlets, I found a sense of calm and inner peace. Art was therapy and I wanted to pass that on to other children by becoming a teacher, then later, an art teacher. I feel that my artwork is authentic and I keep that authenticity alive by staying in the moment and listening to my heart. Distractions can leave one astray, so I try to stay focused on the process, not the next show or whether it is “good” enough or whether it will sell. I went through many rejections, but in the end, persistence and the difficult challenges as an artist, have payed off. My work has evolved and I feel that it is much stronger. I continue to teach adults painting at the Armory Art Center. I hope to instill that same passion to others no matter where their journey may take them..

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The first places that come to mind are the beautiful South Florida beaches. There are no areas in the country that are as tranquil and beautiful as these turquoise settings. South Florida has so many parks and nature reserves; Green Cay, Loxahatchee, Gumbo Limbo, Flamingo Gardens are some that come out to mind. . I would also recommend the Norton Museum, Boca Art Museum, Perez Museum, Vizcaya, The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, the Breakers in Palm Beach and the list goes on. Fine dining is also wonderful here with such a large variety of culinary tastes for any palette.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
In general, all of the artists that came before me have inspired me to create my own style while finding my inner voice. I am predominantly self taught and have studied various art movements in books, classes, museums and galleries. My favorite periods were the post-impressionist and abstract expressionist movements from Van Gogh, Cezanne, Matisse, DeKooning, Rothko, Mitchell, O’Keefe and Elmer Bischoff. I focused on their strengths of color, composition, movement, line and shape to influence my current style.. Some of my teachers in recent years have also provided insight, by enhancing my art career and making adjustments through critiques. They include Sally Cooper, Miles Laventhall, Ralph Papa and Jane McKyntyre.

Website: www.trishkahn.com

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