The VAL team recently had the pleasure of spending time with Young Kim, our 2025 Artist of the Year. We’re excited to share this interview and hope you find it just as inspiring as we did.
VAL: Congratulations on being named Artist of the Year! For those unfamiliar with the process, each month the Visual Art League of Lewisville invites members to submit work for Artist of the Month, with members and guests voting for their favorite pieces. At the end of the year, all First Place winners are invited to submit an artwork for Artist of the Year. Members and guests then vote once more, and the winning artist is announced. The Artist of the Year receives a solo exhibition in the North Display Case at the Lewisville Grand Theater.
We admire your work and are excited to give our readers the opportunity to learn more about you and your artistic journey.
VAL: Please share details about the winning artwork you submitted for Artist of the Year.
KIM: Three Bull is a much bigger painting than I usually make (it’s 5 feet wide). This big size lets you see a wide, open Texas field and sky. In the field, there are three bulls looking at you. They do not look scary or threatening with their long horns. Instead, they seem to be waiting for you and welcoming you to the path behind them. They are not blocking the way—they are like friends, reminding you that you don’t have to walk alone. You need friends. Even if you don’t know them yet, and they are different from you, you can find good partners if you open your mind.
VAL: How did you select the artworks for your Artist of the Year Solo Exhibition?
KIM: It is winter, and I had a series of flower paintings hanging on my wall. This led me to think about the relationship between flowers and winter—two elements that do not usually coexist. It is not spring yet anyway, however, due to the recent warm temperatures in Texas, flowers have begun to bloom in my front yard.
This moment gave me the idea that flowers are not dead in winter; they are simply waiting. Winter is a season of stillness, when everything appears frozen and paused. This sense of suspension resonates with my flower paintings—colorful blooms emerging from black space, expressed through sharp lines and an angular style, conveying quiet tension, pain, and patience.
Through this work, I want to speak about endurance and the act of waiting.
VAL: Can you describe your typical creative process, from the first spark of an idea to the finished piece?
KIM: I sketch constantly—things I’ve seen, fragments from dreams, image searches, and figure studies—all recorded in my sketchbooks. Most of these sketches never make it to canvas. When one feels right, I begin imagining the overall process. I am a planner, and I carefully consider the texture and color that best serve the image, sometimes using an iPad or color chips I’ve made.
I then prepare the canvas surface and tone it with ink or acrylic, followed by sketching over it with charcoal or acrylic. From there, I move into the painting process, building the image through shading and glazing. Like most artists, I struggle on the canvas. Sometimes it works; often it doesn’t—but I see that struggle as an essential part of my journey.
VAL: As someone who found your way back to painting and developed your own voice over time, what advice would you give to artists who feel overwhelmed trying to find theirs?
KIM: My advice is to actively seek out great artists and study both their work and their lives. When I was trying to find my own path, I looked closely at many artworks I loved, especially through Google Arts & Culture. That’s how I discovered John Singer Sargent, whose portraits helped me realize my attraction to portrait of people and realism combined with expressive emotion, and Egon Schiele, whose line work powerfully conveys humanity. Philosophical study—especially Plato—also shaped my thinking, pushing me to reflect on human beings as striving toward something higher while still confined within the body. These influences were critical in helping me understand what I truly want to paint.
VAL: If you could collaborate with any artist—living or historical—who would it be and why?
KIM: If I could turn back time, I would want to be part of the German Expressionist movement. I deeply admire their focus on the human condition, going beyond a purely realistic stance. Their work feels fearless—strong, uncompromising colors, bold lines, and an intense seriousness in subject matter, all centered on the human being. In their paintings, I sense a kind of freedom: the freedom to distort, to exaggerate, and to confront emotion directly rather than describe reality as it appears.
VAL: What’s one tool or material you can’t live without in your studio?
KIM: My number one tool in the studio is a three-tier rolling cart. On the top level, I keep my brushes, solvents, and paints, along with a roll of kitchen towels always within reach. Below that, the cart holds all kinds of materials and chemicals, and even framing tools. Because my studio space is limited, I work with a small wall and two easels. The rolling cart gives me flexibility—it allows me to move easily between easels or shift to my desk without interrupting the flow of painting.
VAL: Aside from painting and mixed media, what other art forms do you explore?
KIM: At times, I work with three-dimensional figures using a variety of materials. In the past, I created human figures in clay, which was especially valuable for understanding the structure and proportions of the human body. That hands-on experience helped deepen my awareness of form in my two-dimensional work as well. Recently, I’ve returned to making three-dimensional figures, this time using discarded Amazon boxes. After discovering impressive cardboard artists online—and realizing how many boxes I already had—I began experimenting with the material myself.
VAL: Has your experience in computer programming shaped how you think about or create your artwork?
KIM: The most valuable thing I learned from computer programming is a disciplined approach to problem solving. Whenever I encounter an issue—whether it comes from the materials themselves or from the painting process—I try to analyze it, identify the root cause, and find ways to improve it. This mindset has deepened my understanding of both materials and technique.
It has also led to practical, often unexpected solutions. For example, I now use syringes to store and dispense oil paint. This allows me to measure precise amounts when mixing colors and to save excess paint by returning it to the syringe, reducing waste. Approaching painting this way has taught me to treat challenges not as obstacles, but as opportunities to refine my process.
VAL: Where can we find your work?
KIM: I currently work with Sparrow’s Gallery in Denison, where many of my original works are represented. I have also recently begun working with Heron House Gallery in Granbury. I maintain my website at youngkimart.com, but most of my recent work and ongoing projects can be found on my Instagram: @youngk_painting.
VAL: How can we stay connected to you?
KIM: I started my newsletter in the fall of 2025 and have recently sent out the third issue. My goal is to publish it on a monthly basis. The newsletter shares my recent activities, insights into my working process, and reflections on my creative thinking.
You can subscribe to the newsletter at eepurl.com/jvUQ96. I also regularly share updates and new work on social media, including Instagram and Facebook.
In addition, I sell prints and giclée editions online through Paint&Life, a print-on-demand platform I run in collaboration with other artists. More information about my work can always be found on my website.
Website: https://youngkimart.com
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/jvUQ96
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youngk_painting
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/youngkpainting
Print Sales: https://paintnlife.com
Be sure to visit Young’s solo exhibition, now on display at the Lewisville Grand Theater. January 6 – Feb 21, 2026.
