Kimberly Oakley
I am a visual artist, focusing on fine art portrait photography. Hallmarks of my work are richness and whimsy. My photographs are often mistaken at first for paintings, due to their tones and aura. I incorporate sometimes humble, sometimes fantastical themes, wardrobe, and props.
Primarily a portrait (and self-portrait) artist, in my works I seek to capture a moment in time, revealing an intimate aspect of the subject. I want people to feel something familiar when they see my portraits.
I have a general background in the arts from my emphasis in my high school education. Beginning with a foundation of basic studio lighting, camera settings, and classic posing, I then began on a path toward the more personalized images I find myself creating now.
The colors and lighting of classical painters Vermeer, Caravaggio, and Rembrandt fill my eyes. In my art, I portray themes of quiet strength. The images have a peaceful calmness to them. I love the rich textures of velvet and linen. I seek out clothing, housewares, and tools that are old, worn, and real. Warmth and richness permeate my works; so do shadows created by a strong and directional source of light.
A recent series I created is my Homespun series, showing children and young adults in rustic and wholesome tableaux. Captured in mundane tasks, the subjects are graced with strength and dignity.
Another series I created during the COVID-19 pandemic is In The Time of COVID. Composed of self-portraits and still-life art, each piece focuses on aspects of life during the pandemic such as isolation, altering of routines, search for information, tangible boredom, signals of hope, and desire for normalcy.