Sketched my Kameryn. A mother’s love has no words how vast it extends

A sketch of my Grandma (when she was young, sitting on the beach) I gave my mom for her birthday yesterday. Gram passed away last year, day after my mom’s birthday.

When I sketch figurative nude I don’t look at it as a naked body. I see strength and I see weakness . I’ve been through quite the adjustment trying to get back to normal after my hysterectomy. I respect my body so much more. Love yourself not for what you see, but what resides in you. #figuredrawing #abstractfigurative #woman #hysterectomyrecovery #strongwomen #itsjustabody #selfcare #art #sketch #charcoal #artist #abstractart #artgallery #selflove #interiordesign #decor #female 

Excerpt from my book “WRECKED”

To not have your suffering recognized is a form of violent neglect.  Until recently I couldn’t handle silence.  I had to have some sort of white noise. To drown out those thoughts that squiggle to the surface. 

   But now I crave silence. The neglected memories no longer lay dormant in the back cages of my mind. I’ve freed them. But they still hang around. Laying their permeable surfaces open to new memories. In a interfusion of past and present. Creating something new in me. Like the blend of my art and my writing. Writing preexisted my art, but again I neglected it for a solid twenty years.  Like my hometown, I loved it-but I left it. My friends, I loved them-but I left them. My writing-I loved them, but I left them. My house, the land-I loved it but I left it.  Self protection I suppose. To leave those things, and people that were bound not by their will to my  virulent past; was not only self-protection but temporary salvation.  

  My painting of the woman floating in the water brings its exquisite silence almost tangible upon viewing. Part of me floats in the water with her. Hauntingly still. Waiting. 

After the epic battle of my past and my present, the old me and the new have found a way to coexist. I had no idea that there was room. If there’s room, then there’s room for me to be a mother, wife, writer, artist, sister and often daughter.  

All these years the guilt I carried like an albatross carries little footing. It barely holds on as I kick it off my foot every morning.  “WRECKED”©️

Started work on the big 4 ft horse head. Feels really good to work, it’s always hard during summer.

Adding in the heat on “Rebirth”, 5ft big one 

Whited out and repositioned her arms/hands. They’re hard to see here but the hands will have great definition. Rework of her stature 5ft almost to size #rework 

Back topainting the •WRECKED• series. I wanted to give this one a sort of memory feel.Since it is between young me and Sahara (the horse we were supposed to get when I was little. Wrecked is my memoir (I’ve been writing my story along with each piece) it’s a story of renewal, refined by fire literally and spiritually. The fire that took my hometown forced me to deal with stuff I pushed away for 20 some years. I’m a very private person so opening up is incredibly difficult. I just hope I can help someone. It also showed me my love for my hometown. God put meand my family there for a reason. The trees, the mountains, the people got us through a hard time. I think for me saying goodbye to the trees I loved so much was worse then the house. I still pause when I hear the wind through the tall trees in Long Beach. #wrecked 

 #3 of •WRECKED• final tweaking done. Go to my IG for more updates on new work Kellie Thomas-Walker

Rework of “Had To” #3 of WRECKED

4ft x4ft “Had To” #3 in •WRECKED• series . I was almost done but yesterday I restructured her skin. I wanted her linesto be more muted, so I blended a transparent layer all over around her skin. She’s in water, I didn’t paint prominent reflective lines as I wanted an eerie morose beauty to arose from the piece. This piece is EXTREMELY hard to photograph as it has so many transparent layers that just can’t quite get captured on camera. I added more depth to her dress as well as the background. #art #painting #anatomystudy #interiordesign #artofinstagram #figurativeart #figurepainting #abstractart #artgallery #decor #artist #arte #losangeles #london #japan #ladyinthelake

Almost done with 48x48

48x48 Lady in the Lake (not the title) is almost done. 

Started a big New one 4ftx5ft. I’m going to add in geometric elements to this one as well as some neon. Her face is raw, no detail. Look closely there’s more than a woman’s face. This one is going to be a bit of a story

Work on my lady in the lake

48x48, Adding in the blue tones and I grazed the texture with a hint of light grey to pop the texture. Sculpting her arm, hand and chest next. Then I’ll add subtle  eerie highlights all over. This is 4ft 

Sketch work in preparation for something big I have planned to paint for years. The Guardian. I’ve seen him my whole life, mostly in dreams when I was growing up and in my adulthood. Never a clear shot of his face though, but he is BIG. I’m getting close to feeling ready to start him. 

Kicking it up

Decided to start adding in some street art elements, because I looooove them.  I’ll add more transparent neon later. Her hand and face need more work...but my hand needs a break. #streetart #fashionar

Fire Series #5

Started painting the new 48x36 of my Fire Series. Working on her hand, flames and eyes today. Dm me for paint mixing 

Fire Series #5

Started painting the new 48x36 of my Fire Series. Working on her hand, flames and eyes today. Dm me for paint mixing 

Started paintingmy new ladyfloating in water with fire nearby/part #4 in my Fire Series 

I whited out her face to restart it. I wanted the angle changed on how she was watching things. This is going to be quite visceral. But this series isn’t supposed to be all rainbows and sunshine. The big digger Pine trees I loved so much growing up are gone from the fire. I put them in her-ablaze. Art is supposed to bring out feeling and emotion. My challenge to all of you is to FEEL 

Stuck her in front of my treadmill to figure out the next step. I’m tempted to leave her as is. I love the rawness and subtle muscle. It’s extremely tricky To know WHEN to stop as an artist. I’ve ruined pieces before. My best advice to my daughters and budding artists is put it somewhere you can contemplate and think about it. Natural light is best. Sometimes it can be months before it hits you. Work on other ones while you wait the “click”. #ballerina #ballet #tutu #painting #figurepainting #figuredrawing #femaleform #art #interiordesign #losangeles #newyork #gallery#femaleartist #dancer