— About —
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— a b o u t —
Photo by Ken Kozak
Kim Tateo is a painter whose work explores interconnectedness, impermanence, and the unseen. Her dreamlike landscapes are rich with color, marks, and layers, inviting viewers to look closer and discover hidden layers of meaning and wonder. Her deep relationship with nature shapes her practice, informed by her work as a shepherd and her studies of plant spirit medicine and herbalism at the Gaia School of Healing since 2021.
She has participated in various exhibitions, art fairs, shows, and public art projects in New York City, Los Angeles, and the Capital Region. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Iowa and an MFA in Studio Art from the University at Albany, SUNY.
— s t a t e m e n t —
I use my creative practice to externalize the complexity of internal emotional landscapes. The physical act of painting is a release, and various brushstrokes and layers show the record of my hand and emotions. I do not plan my paintings but let myself make the next move intuitively based on what I see in the paint, resulting in atmospheric scenes of organic shapes, swirling color pools, and accidental moments. This process requires trust and patience as it transforms between application and drying.
Working with the land and tending to animals have helped me embrace change and understand that life and death are cyclical, interconnected, and mysterious. My practice is about accepting loss and allowing things to transform into something new. The paintings are meant to have a quiet calling and for my inner processing to be alchemized into something transportive, a meditative pathway to the present moment, while offering hope.