Kim Weissenborn / Painter
Biography
Kim Weissenborn is an American painter living and working in France, on the "Island of the Impressionists" along the Seine. A lifelong observer, her curiosity has always been focused on questions of purpose—wondering about the significance of a tree that has stood for two centuries and what it has witnessed, or the mystery of the faithful and obedient rhythm of the ocean. In France, she finds inspiration in a landscape where the past is a living presence; the ancient buildings and surroundings here seem to whisper stories derived from years of witnessing. Living where the masters once painted, she feels the lingering energy of those long-gone artists and the rhythm of their brushes hitting canvas.
Working primarily in oil, Kim creates landscapes and figurative paintings that focus on mood and atmosphere. She leans toward a muted, earthy palette and honest colors that feel timeless. Her process is intuitive; she often begins with a photo of a person or place that moved her and feels her way through the painting. This allows the work to evolve through a mix of quick, energetic brushstrokes and a deeper search for a specific, lingering feeling.
Kim holds a BFA from Parsons School of Design in New York. Her paintings have been exhibited across the United States and Europe, including a solo show at the Jacques Baumel Médiathèque in Rueil-Malmaison (2025). Following artist residencies at Château Bonnemare in 2024 and 2025, several of her works were acquired for the château’s permanent collection.
Artist Statement
I paint because I’ve always been obsessed with what lies beneath the first impression. For me, art is an extension of a lifelong habit of watching and wondering—a way to find meaning in a world so vast and unknowable.
My process is a direct response to the canvas. I don’t start with a planned intention; instead, I begin with a photo of a person or a place that moved me, and I feel my way through the work from there. Sometimes a few quick, energetic brushstrokes say everything I want to say in thirty minutes; other times, I keep searching until I find the specific feeling I am after.
In my figurative work, I look for presence and vulnerability. Drawing from the psychological intensity of artists like Schiele, Munch, and Freud, I use soft edges and a quiet palette of honest colors to explore the inner life of my subjects—their stillness, their strength, and their solitude. I am looking for the truth that remains when you strip away the noise of the world.
My goal isn't to make a perfect copy of reality. I want to capture a feeling that stays with you—something familiar but hard to pin down—that reminds us to stop and really see the world for a moment.
