We had the good fortune of connecting with Kim Johnson Nechtman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kim, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Producing art is a risky business. I take a risk every time I paint, by exposing my inner self, or when I teach, and when I exhibit my art to the public. Doing a demo/ teaching in front of a group of people can be extremely risky! The question is “what if my painting doesn’t turn out?” In watercolor it’s important to understand it will take a long time and many risks to be good at the medium, therefore, there will be many failures and this is what makes a successful painting so very rewarding. Painting takes persistence, tenacity, and a whole lot of risks!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a watercolor artist who loves to paint animals/birds, portraits, and figurative paintings. I am proud of the way I am able to capture the personality of an animal or person in a portrait, and the attitude of people in my figurative work. My paintings have been exhibited and received awards in international and national shows, been published in magazines, and books around the world. The most important lessons I’ve learned are to not give up, be persistent, and be consistent. Because watercolor is such a hard medium to be good at I believe it’s the most rewarding.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love to take people to the Phoenix Zoo, because my friends love to paint animals as well as I do. The Phoenix Art Museum is a must! They have great paintings from the old masters as well as local artists. We like to take visitors to our favorite Mexican restaurant-Valley Luna’s at Greenway and Cave Creek. And, I like to wander around old town Scottsdale with friends from out of town.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I give my mother a lot of credit for where I am today. She was not the type of mother who hung all my art on the refrigerator-only the stuff she felt was good!! She has always encouraged me to be creative by having me in art classes at a young age, and to love what I’m doing. My mom alway lead me to believe I could accomplish anything I set out to do!Thank you Mom!

Website: www.kj-art.com
Instagram: kimjohnsonart
Facebook: Kim Johnson Nechtman

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