The art
Working from her Cathedral City California studio, Kippi creates work that is poetic, subdued, revealing. She creates an evocative tension between elements within her paintings as she layers rich colors onto raw linen and birch panel.
Her work consists of oil paints collected during her travels here and abroad, cold wax medium, graphite, charcoal, oil stick and desert sand she gathers in the wild.
Unearthed moments of color are revealed during her process using potter carving tools and sandpaper. Her body of work is innovative in her approach preferring to paint flat and work around the surface adding layers from many different perspectives. Her finished pieces are a minimal color palette with expressive intentional line work, unexpected moments of color and surface texture.
Her monotype print work is also multidimensional and ethereal. Her works on paper are intuitive and process driven. She creates one off prints, ghost prints and Chine Collé using oil relief inks, collage materials, her own created materials and an etching press. She never begins with the end in mind but allows the process lead the way.
Kippi’s work is subtle upon first glance but as one studies the work, the generous depth of layers within her paintings are revealed.
The artist
Self taught artist Kippi Leonard first picked up a paint brush in 2013 after and extensive career as in interior designer in her hometown of Camas, Washington.
Most recently a Seattle resident, the allure of sun and warmth brought her and her husband Greg of 9 years to the desert in February of 2019 full time along with an Irish wolfhound Enzo and his little mini me Fish the dog.
Together they enjoy travel, pizza, hiking and adventuring. An avid reader Kippi has no less than three books open at all times.
Her favorite treat is Frans dark chocolate caramels with grey sea salt.