By Payton Tholstrup
Photos courtesy of Kay Gilbert
Kay Gilbert, a self-taught artist from North Central Kansas, grew up surrounded by creativity. Her father crafted stained-glass windows and yard art from whatever materials he could find, while her mother stitched needlework and designed patterns for his glass pieces. With such an artistic foundation at home, it’s no wonder Gilbert and her sisters were inspired to explore art themselves.
Gilbert has two older sisters. The oldest followed in their mother’s footsteps, pursuing sewing and needlework, while the middle sister also became an artist.
“I think when I was a baby, I must have gotten into a can of paint and eaten some, because painting is just in my blood and soul. I look at everything in the context of painting and color—barn doors, houses inside and out, furniture, nature, people, and canvases,” she said.
Gilbert describes her work as Abstract Realism. “The backgrounds are abstract, and the subject is realism, such as birds, flowers, and people.”
She rarely plans a painting, unless she has a photo she wants to use as a reference. “There’s something exciting about starting a painting and just seeing how it develops into such a surprise,” she said. “I get ideas for paintings everywhere. My mind never stops seeing things and people as art. I love color and am always mixing colors I see in my head.”
Some of her most unusual paintings come from dreams. She doesn’t know what sparks them, but if she doesn’t take the time to paint them, they stay with her until she does. Recently, she had three dreams of Persian cats for one painting. “I have the background done and ready to start. It is going to be a weird painting and certainly an original,” Gilbert said.
Her favorite medium is pastels—100 percent pure pigment painted on sanded paper. “The colors are gorgeous. No mixing, always ready to go, but they create messy fingers. I also like acrylics and oil-collage mixed media paintings. Variety keeps me from getting into a creative rut, so I am always excited to paint. I get up each morning planning how fast I can get chores done so I can get to the studio and paint.”
Gilbert still remembers the joy of her first oil painting, a deer stepping from the woods to drink from a stream. “I was astonished that it turned out so well. I still have it as an incentive to keep painting,” she said.
Her advice for beginners is simple: set up a dedicated art space you don’t have to pack away. “I don’t care if it’s a corner in a bedroom or a dining room that’s seldom used. You don’t need a big space to create. If you have everything out and ready to paint, you’ll be surprised how much you can get done in an hour,” she said. “Next, paint, paint, paint! It’s just like practicing a piano—the more you paint, the better you’ll become.”
Even after a decade as a professional artist, Gilbert is still learning. She is currently enrolled in the Milan Art Mastery Program; an online course that’s helping her expand her techniques and skills. “Never stop learning new things,” she added.
Gilbert’s work can be purchased at 4th and Court Bookshop in Clay Center or through her website. Her art is also on display at the Rago Gallery in Junction City, located at 131 W. 7th St., now through October 31.
For those who live in the area and want to purchase a painting from her website, she encourages them to reach out directly to her for delivery to avoid shipping costs.
“Beware,” she said. “Once you start collecting art, it is addictive. It becomes a way of life and brings such joy and richness to your heart and soul.
