All the Paintings I worked on in 2024
I love an end of year round up, and I applaud the type of person who can stick with the detailing and archiving of a year of whatever interests the writer. Michelle Tea releases a fun roundup of all she’s read that definitely helps me put new books on my ever-increasing and ever-piling high TBR stack. I love the dedication of weeding through the year and picking out things that stand out - like career and life accomplishments all packaged together for the reader to enjoy like this offering from Soy La Misma by andrea v. duarte-alonso. I love a writer who also brings whimsy and snark to their predictions on what is in and what is out like JP Brammer puts together for us. Or a writer who is both into craft and also into using that craft to detail a year of a deep dive into a world/realm with which I’m not part like what Brandon Taylor does here with his tennis journey of 2024.
I don’t feel like crafting a narrative about 2024. I feel like John McClane at the end of a Die Hard film. Still standing but moving slow, beat up, battered, bruised, but a survivor nonetheless. It wasn’t pretty, but we made it. I’ve faced a lot of loss in this year most recently and freshest (though all things considered not the most difficult emotionally, but up there logistically) my Trusty Steed - the 2017 Chevy Equinox that I drove into the ground at 170k miles. But that’s a story for another day.
I made some big business moves this year I hosted my first scholarly talk in conversation with my Compa Dr. Erika Gisela Abad which I am wondering should maybe become a recurring offering? Let me know what you think. I launched my large-scale painting online storefront and started my spin off email list called the Art of KCF Collectors Circle where I am working on more regular opportunities for those who have and/or want to have an original painting of mine in your personal collection. Are you thinking to yourself, “dang, why haven’t I been getting those emails?!” Reply to this one and I’ll personally make sure you are on the list!
My Hermanita was with us for the Winter Solstice and Christmas holidays and she had a really good prompt that I will share with you all here, what of 2024 will you be taking with you into 2025? I’ve been trying to think and think about answers to this question over the last couple of weeks and I’ve come up with a few responses. One is my burgeoning relationship with my nail tech, Lindsey, who is reminding me about the power of nail art and reconnecting me to some deep femme sensibilities that I want to see flourish in my rural home and lifestyle.
Another is a breakthrough I had with my paintings in terms of style and approach. I’m gaining new languages and compositional strategies and am excited to keep practicing with this new knowlege. It’s surprising because it came to me when I was not actively seeking; I simply showed up. There’s a lesson there I want to remember. I’m looking forward to playing with these innovations in the new bodies of works emerging from the Art of KCF Studio Utopia in the upcoming year. For my roundup this year, I am going to share my year in paintings where I will chronicle all the paintings I began and finished in 2024 with a bit of additional context/backstory for your reading pleasure.
Valentine's Candy Nostalgia
12” x 12”
Acrylic and latex on wood panel
2024
I painted this for inclusion at the Rourke Museum’s Heart Show that went up in February. It didn’t sell and in a bid to repurpose my substrates it’s the first painting that I’ve made in my professional life that I’ve painted over to become something completely different. Wonderful first for me!
In Rural We Tend to the Herd
30” x 48”
Acrylic and Latex on Canvas
2024
The painting that started the goat craze at Springboard for the Arts. This work was transformed onto a billboard that I had the honor of facilitating an artist talk about it on the side of a county highway in Minnesota. So much has happened for me because of this painting including but not limited to my first mention in Hyperallergic for the work! And I wrote an op-ed in a national publication about Guaranteed Income. I love how so much has come of this painting - it’s not just this beautiful work of art about our goats, but it’s also postcards, a bumper sticker, vinyl stickers and exists as a visual for a broader movement.
Take a Look Around
36” x 56”
Acrylic, latex, and spray Paint on Canvas
(2023-2024)
A studio self-portrait masterpiece? Every painter needs at least one, here’s my homage to paint, painting, and my ever-evolving means of construction of my self and the worlds held within the canvas’ 2-dimensional planes. I am not surprised this took me as long as it did, when the time was right to complete, it was right. I’m trying to abide by not rushing myself. Nothing is urgent. I am here, now.
When Two Became Three
43” x 62”
Acrylic, latex, and spray paint, fabric, thread, yarn, plushie on single-weave canvas, quilted with batting and raw canvas
(2023-2024)
Another first, I have never in my life been working so close to drop-off at the gallery as I did with this one. Post my first (and let’s hope, last) bout of COVID I brought this painting to St. Paul and was stitching it, steaming it, and trying to figure out how to hang it up to the moment I got it loaded into my now dead Equinox. Sigh. But! It taught me something, and now I’m looking for some help on rod fabricators for the rest of the painted quilts that are emerging for this body of work that will be up in a really magical Duo show I’m planning with a friend late 2025.
View from the Top (Third) Floor of the Holiday Inn Express Somewhere Along I-35
16” x 20”
Acrylic, latex, and spray paint on canvas
2024
Fun times knocking out some smaller works which has birthed another solo-show I’ll have at Calendula Gallery late summer 2025. I’m intrigued by queer (weird) scenes of rural Minnesota (Midwest?) and thinking through how that also relates to queer theory and how I exist in the world as a queer person. This is the painting that started this new series I’m working on - aptly named by my BFF - Queeracana.
Sanctuary
48” x 60”
Acrylic, latex, book pages on canvas
2024
I started this beauty in mid-October for my Artist Residency hosted by the Fergus Falls Public Library. I steadily painted throughout the fall and completed the work on December 19th. It was the last completed painting of the year. It taught me a lot, and it’s up at the library through March 15, 2025 - if you’re local, go visit the books.
A round up of paintings continued or begun in 2024 that will not be completed this year
Dad’s Favorite Color is Red/Work
43” x 62”
Acrylic, latex, and spray paint, fabric, thread, on single weave canvas
(2023-in progress)
The painting is done, it’s off the wall, but not all the appliqué is sewed down. I don’t know when or how I will get all I need to get done before this exhibits in Winter of 2025 - but what I do know is that I will not be hand quilting this one.
Lamb of God
62” x 42”
Acrylic and latex paint, thread, on single-weave dyed canvas
(2024-in progress)
This painting is completed, it is still on the wall and not sewn or quilted. I might not quilt this one and the other two that are on the way (it’s part of a planned trinity). Instead I might work them more like tapestry banners instead of quilts. I guess time will tell how I finish these off.
Altez (title may change)
72” x 102”
Acrylic, latex, and spray paint, fabric, thread on microfiber bedsheet
(2023-in progress)
This painting is calling to me to close the portal. I’ve neglected it for a long time. The scale is scaring me, not from the painting perspective but from the quilting and sewing perspective and the finishing perspective. It’s interesting how that is also teaching me about myself, but I plan for this and at least three other interior bedroom scenes of this size/scale to emerge for my planned Duo Show again, with fears I’m wearing out my ability to say it but that’s not stopping me I’ll say it again… stay tuned to how I make all this happen?
Live Bait (title may change)
12” x 12”
Acrylic and latex on wood panel
(2024-2025 but I’ll probably just note it as 2025 when I complete it)
The second painting in my Queeracana series that is so close to being done - I don’t want to get too precious about it but the fish need more work. Name this Minnesota chain staple!
The Critic in me is bemoaning not completing more works this year. But the realist in me is trying to grapple with how can I honor my pace and capacity for the good of my mind, body, and spirit? That I was able to accomplish these large scale works while returning to teaching for the first half of the year, consulting and all my other duties along with travel is actually pretty impressive. Not to mention the 9 or 10 handcrafted student loan banners I embroidered and painted, plus moving my paintings around the state. No wonder I’m tired! As of now, I’m practicing saying my books are closed until 2027. If you don’t see me around it’s because I’m seriously clearing my schedule and focusing on my studio time and painting as if it’s my job... well, because it is among other things. I will need to build up some serious stamina to get through what I have planned ahead.
Given what I went through to finish my library painting before the due date, I’m a little scared, but also eager to get into what’s ahead. If all goes well I will be painting and thriving… though as we know, only time will be able to tell what the future will bring despite, or perhaps in spite of, any of our best laid plans.
From the Archive:
Four years ago December 31, 2020 The Ghosts on Our Shelves
Two years ago December 31, 2022 The Art of Transition
One year ago December 31, 2023 The Turn of the Page
Question to ponder
What of 2024 will you be taking with you into 2025?
Thanks for journeying with me. I am grateful for your presence in my creative endeavors and am wishing you and yours a wonderful New Year.
-KCF
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