We were lucky to catch up with Kim Hopson recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kim, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
As someone with a limb difference, that’s what a great deal of my artwork is about. My artwork is from the lens of navigating the world in a body that has a physical disability. So…I’m unpacking what that feels like and looks like. Creating the artwork that I do has been really healing for me; because I’m constantly the only person in the room who looks like me! I want people to sit in the uncomfortability and awkwardness that comes with disability. Not to highlight my ‘otherness’ but more so to shine a light on how disabled bodies are treated and received by society. The power struggle that is found in those spaces.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My work is about the impact of disability, and particularly in the context of parenthood, identity and ableism. I’m a multidisciplinary artist, and in the past year I’ve especially been venturing into doing more video and performance based work – building on a longer lasting foundation in two dimensional works (painting, drawing, collage, mixed media). I’m also a member of an artist collective, the Mother Creatrix Collective. We have a group show at The Old Stone House in Brooklyn that runs until May 12, and I have a solo show scheduled in Brooklyn in October.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Storytelling is probably the most important element to my artwork. Storytelling has a long history of helping connect and create empathy. It’s the way that society and people understand each other – that’s a huge part of my artwork.
I think risk-taking in artwork is something I’ve opened up to in the past two years. I’m more theme based rather than medium based – I approach and discover a topic and think about what medium and method of art will help me approach this theme. That’s a very different way of working, but more challenging and rewarding, than thinking about medium first.
And definitely an entrepreneurial spirit. That’s especially true in New York – I feel like I didn’t really get good at the ‘hustle’ until I moved here. There’s an energy here that promotes that mindset. Being an independent artist requires wearing a lot of different hats, so the ability to switch gears, and be your own task manager – nurturing your own creativity while also managing all the other aspects of running a business – social media, applying for shows, grants, opportunities, it can be a lot. I’ve found a system that works for me, and although everyone is different while managing their time, I’ve found blocking off time and days for different aspects of work has been very helpful for staying on track.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
I’m going to talk all about video! I came to a point where the most effective way to create the work that I wanted to create was through performance and video. These are very new to me – I’m teaching myself as I go, which has been an adventure! But I’ve found that my artwork has been more impactful and more raw using these different methods of expression.
So, yeah, I feel that the way I approach my work is completely different now. In my mind’s eye I think of things through the lens of video as another vehicle of storytelling, as well as traditional studio work. I work through a lot of ideas using collage, but the partnership with different forms, and how they influence each other, has been really fascinating to me as I look back on the past year.
I’d also say that I was very nervous to try new art forms that I haven’t had training in! But I’m very proud of myself that I stepped out of my comfort zone. It’s outside of your comfort zone that you’re on a creative edge that makes your work better, makes you think better. It’s really good to challenge yourself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kimhopsonstudio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimhopsonstudio/
Image Credits
𝘚𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘐𝘵, watercolor, pom pom string, and collage on paper, 9×12 inches, 2023. 𝘖𝘥𝘺𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘺, mixed media collage, 7 x10 inches, 2023. 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺, watercolor and collage on paper, 9×12 inches, 2023. 𝘉𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘈𝘴 𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦, color pencils on paper, 14×17 inches, 2023. Still from Pom Pom 1, video performance, 2023. Still from TASKS, video, 2024. Still from Being Held While Holding Yours, video, 2024. In process picture, video work, gloves, 2024.
