Art Magazine Feature Interview

I am pleased to be featured in an interview for the July/Aug Issue of ACS Art Magazine.

Below is a copy of the Magazine article...

Kirstin McCoy is a Contemporary Impressionist Artist living in the South of France. She is influenced by the French Impressionists, Expressionists, and Fauvists. Much of her art is inspired by the famous “Southern light” and amazing vibrant colors of the region.

Kirstin believes in fate; she supposes everything she has experienced in her life so far has brought her to where she is now.

Kirstin has always loved being creative and she says she is lucky to have wonderful parents who encouraged her to pursue an artistic career. Attending college with a focus in art full time for several years was an influencing factor for her art career. Kirstin studied at both at the National College of Art and Dun Laoghaire College of Art, in Dublin Ireland. This gave her the essential foundation for her art career. Kirstin is grateful for all her parents’ encouragement and support. Her parents inspired her to pursue her dreams!

Kirstin’s work is about capturing the essence, spirit, and energy of the world around her. It’s as much about the invisible as the visible. Many of her paintings are distinguished by an energetic, extremely vigorous, and free treatment of often thickly applied paint using brushes and palette knives. Kirstin also is very interested in the expressive power of color and how certain colors can trigger different emotions.

Kirstin exhibits with Saatchi Art Online Gallery and she has been featured in several of their curated collections. This has been great for exposure and has certainly led to an increased interest in her art. Exhibiting online has also had a big impact on her career. She has sold many paintings worldwide as a result of exhibiting her work on her website online gallery: www.kirstinmccoy.com

Kirstin’s artistic style is influenced by French Impressionists, Expressionists, and Fauvists - artists that also painted in the South of France such as Van Gogh, Dufy, Cezanne, Monet, Matisse, Derain etc. Kirstin has a great love of color and is deeply interested in capturing the spirit of life in her art. She also loves the atmospheric work of American painters such as Edward Hopper and Mark Rothko.

Kirstin’s studio is situated on the top floor of her five-hundred year old village home, 5km from the Mediterranean. She has a wonderful light filled space that is perfect for painting. Kirstin spends several hours most days painting in her studio.

Kirstin shares “I usually have several paintings on the go at any given time. My paintings are done gradually as I add layers of colors. This also allows the concept to develop as I work.”

“I’m in a beautiful part of the South France. The open countryside with the bright colorful flowers, the endless vineyards dotted with ancient cities,and the deep blue colors of the Mediterranean Sea are all inspiring for me.”

“Many of my paintings are based on drawings done on site in the countryside or in the towns etc. I also paint ‘en plein air’ as well as in the studio.”

Kirstin believes both gallery representation and working independently are important to her. This combination has allowed her work to be seen and bought by collectors worldwide. Kirstin is currently represented by Saatchi Art Gallery.

Kirstin has been fortunate to exhibit locally and internationally and has had success worldwide with her art being sold to collectors.

Kirstin’s has recently exhibited her work at Sofitel Redwood City, San Francisco Bay, California; Sofitel Los Angeles, Beverly Blvd, LA, California, Empress Hotel, La Jolla, California; Waterfront Hotel, Oakland, San Francisco Bay, California; Hotel Zephyr, Beach Street, San Francisco, California; Galerie van der Meer, Pezenas, France; and Le 59, Rue du Casino, Aix-les-Bains, France.

In addition, Kirstin was selected “Artist of the Month” for the Riveria Woman Magazine, featured by
curators on numerous other galleries such as Saatchi Art Gallery and leading publications such as Aesthetica and Vogue magazine.

Vogue Magazine mentioned "Her paintings radiate the atmosphere and colors of Provence and the Cote d’Azur. This artist’s work is in high demand and is featured in collections worldwide.”

Tell me about two important moments in your art career.
“Going to Art College was an important moment in my career. I learned a lot because I was exposed to a vast range of techniques and ideas. I had the chance to develop essential skills such as drawing, painting, photography etc. It was a great time of exploring and ultimately discovering what appeals to me most.”

Another major moment in my art career was moving to the South of France some years ago. Moving from Ireland, I found the intense sunlight and vivid colors amazing; it was like someone had switched a light on! I have become much more interested and inspired by color since living here.

Tell us about some of your exciting upcoming projects.
“I have some exciting new art commissions coming up for several clients interested in scenes of the South of France. I am looking forward to traveling to Nice, Marseilles, Collioure and Carcassonne to do these paintings.”

I have also been given the opportunity of some solo exhibitions, as well as being invited to exhibit in many upcoming shows and art fairs around the world.

View the Art featured in this magazine article...