Kathy Dismus

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Kathy Dismus doesn’t just paint the figure, she paints the soul and what lies beneath the facade. Her watercolors not only display the depth of what being human feels like but also the desire we have within us to show who and what we truly are without fear. Her work makes you take in a breath of fresh air. Read this lovely interview and get ready to fall in love with Kathy.

What’s your first memory of art making?

Throughout my life I have always been creative. I wrote poetry, knitted, crocheted, designed improvisational quilts and jewelry, wove fabric, spun yarn, the list goes on and on.

“Art making, in the traditional sense, came later on in my life.”

In my late 40s, I took an online art class with Misty Mawn. It gave me another way of looking at the creative process and set me directly on the artist’s path. It was in her classes that I feel I made my first piece of art.

How did you find the medium you currently work in?

My least favorite medium, watercolor, was one of the last mediums I explored. I was practically ready to give up on the idea of ever using them with any degree of success until I discovered handmade artisan colors. Their subtle range of color and texture were a source of endless fascination. I spent countless hours exploring “what they do” on paper. There is a long road ahead of me where this is concerned.

Do you ever switch it up?

I mainly switch between charcoal and watercolor. I use charcoal in live figure drawing sessions and revisit these drawings with watercolor at home. I often use graphite, charcoal and pastels in my sketchbooks.

How do you feel about artists working in more mediums than one? Do you think it’s better for artists to stick with one medium?

“I think artist should explore and follow their inner voice.”

Do you have a degree in art or are you self-taught? If you received a degree in art, did you go straight into art making full time or was it a different journey?

I do not have any formal art training.

“Exploration and curiosity are my dominate teachers.”

When was the “a-ha!” moment where you decided to take on art as a career? Tell me your “I am an artist” story!

I started a serious yoga practice in my 40s. It had a profound effect on the rest of my life. What did this have to do with art? A LOT! Art is not a career for me nor is it a way to make a living. It is a tool for spiritual growth. The more deeply I settled into my yoga practice, the more my life took on a true authenticity. It primed me to more easily unravel childhood messages and societal labels. Around this same time, I took the online art class with Misty Mawn that I mentioned earlier. Her lessons were designed around a light structure with 80 entry points! She tapped into almost every way a person can be creative: craft, writing, collage, drawing, mixed media, dance, cooking, video/photography, etc. It was exactly what I needed at the time. The most important thing I learned from her classes: Results are everything and not everything, but showing up is golden.

“There are myriads of ways to live from the inside out. This brought new abundant energy to an old desire that has lasted for years.”

Tell me about your creative space! Do you have an in-home studio or do you rent a space? Do you prefer one over the other if you’ve experienced both types of spaces? Is your studio messy or organized?

I work from a small space in a sun room. There is a desk with a hutch on top for books and art supplies. My easel is by the side of my desk with a small cart that holds more art supplies. Things quickly pile up on my desktop, but I clear it all away approximately every two days. There are mornings when I like to dive further into the mess and other mornings when I prefer to start with a fresh clean surface.

Do you work on multiple pieces at once?

I usually work on one piece at a time.

What are you currently working on?

I am always practicing to improve my skills in figure drawing. Over the summer I’ve begun to explore small watercolor landscapes.

What inspires your work?

This quote really inspires my work: “...art is a union of the known and the unknown. To the soul and spirit, images are real and present. They are not merely representations of something else. They embody what is otherwise invisible and yet present.” - “Art and Yoga” by Hari Kim Kamran Khalsa.

The unknown inhabits our faces, permeates our bodies and the tools we work with. So much is spoken about a person’s story in how the body holds their story.

“Volumes of information reside in a habitual gesture that one naturally falls into when their guard is down.”

What satisfies me most is when I momentarily get the feeling that the unknown looks at me through my images. It’s like a fleeting incident of a bird that happens to land on your table.

“The human face and body are an unending source of inspiration.”

How do you balance real life and art making? Do you schedule your creative time? Do you create everyday?

As soon as I retired, I became a member of the local art center and entered my work in a gallery show there. I spent a great portion of each day art making and going to live drawing sessions to hone figure drawing skills. This slowed down almost to a halt last year, because of a serious illness. In light of that time period, I no longer want to spend so much time indoors. I want to be close the earth and being with the people I love. This has facilitated a budding interest in painting landscapes.

“We don’t know how long we will be here. Art and life have a way of informing each other. Say what you have to say when the time is ripe for you. Let it be the truth and let all things be a part of living from the inside out.”

How do you feel about social media in the art world?

I think it is a wonderful way to communicate with other artists. It is where I can share my process with others and also bear witness to their perseverance and artistic growth.

What message do you hope comes across through your artwork?

I would like for my work to convey feeling, provoke curiosity into the human story and wonder into the invisible that lies beneath.

You can find more of Kathy’s work on her Instagram and you can purchase her work by sending her a direct message.

The Artist's Studio