About the Artist

Kingsley Hallerdin

Best I can tell, there are two related thoughts which have led me to art.  The first is that I've always been amazed by people who can draw.  I have a nephew, who at an early age, had the innate ability to capture a likeness in seconds, and I've always thought to myself, "wow, if I could only do that".  The second, may be an attempt to answer the question everyone must eventually answer for themselves ... "what footprints will I leave in the sands of time?"  I feel my art has the potential to partially satisfy both of these desires.

I do not consider myself a naturally gifted artist and people are often surprised to find out that for the my first 50 years, I didn't even "doodle".   However, much of art can be learned, and I now realize that the almost 30 years I spent in the corporate world were in many ways preparing me to be an artist.  You see, I frequently had to express ideas and concepts to others, and most often, would use images, lines, colors and focal points to get them across.  And, isn't that what art is ultimately about ... expressing oneself?

I started drawing and painting in 1999 after reading the book "How To Think Like Leonardo DiVinci".  One of his beliefs was that if you could make a circle, a triangle, a square and a straight line, then you could "draw".  I felt I could certainly do those things, so I enrolled in a local watercolor class.  The watercolor class led to a drawing class, which in turn led to other classes, and this process of learning, and eventually creating, has continued ever since.

Besides attending local art classes, my training has included: studying with some gifted artist- George Sutherland, Stephen Douglas, Alka Mukerji, Helen Honig, Don Andrews, Skip Lawrence and Mary Lou Ringers; reading countless art books; and attending courses at Manhattanville College.

My painting philosophy starts with the realization that I am constantly learning and growing, and that any painting I do today reflects my current level of development.  Tomorrow, I may evolve to a different level, but in the mean time, I should never be frustrated, intimidated, afraid to make a mistake, or to try something new.  I try to paint what I "see", and more importantly "feel", paying special attention to a focal point or message, while developing a pattern of interesting shapes and lights and darks, and organizing and simplifying the composition.

Although I've tried most mediums, I keep returning to watercolor and oil.  In watercolor, there's an immediacy, spontaneity and inherent degree of risk taking which is unmatched.  It can be frustrating when things don't work, but when they do, there's a freshness, vitality, sparkle and glow which I just love.  On the other hand, oil can achieve a rich, lush, deep intensity, and allows one the ability to be bolder and utilize texture and brushstrokes to a greater degree.   However, my ultimate goal is make expressive art which stirs an emotion, and the medium used is just a tool to accomplish that.

It seems the more I learn about art, the more artists make my "favorites" list.  Included are: Boldini, Vermeer, Michelangelo, Sargent, Cezanne, most of the Impressionists, Richard Schmid, and Don Andrews.

Click for: Oils / Watercolors / Drawings / Chinese Watercolors / Acrylics