Kim deGaris is an American artist who's taught drawing, painting and sculpture since 1978, most recently at the Masters School in New York from 1997-2010.

​

Her abstract expressionist paintings are in numerous private collections in the U.S. and abroad.

​

A fixture at the Art Students League of New York in the 70's & 80's she also studied with Rosemary Beck, Herb Aach, Arther Cohen, Robert Birmelin, Gabriel Laderman, Harry Kramer, Knox Martin, Grace Graupe-Pillard, Tom Doyle, & Richard Miller at City University of New York, The League, Philadelphia college of Art, Hunter College CUNY, Queens College CUNY.

 

She had the singular honor to be chosen by faculty & administration to be the sole graduate to be hooded and represented all the Arts and Humanities divisions at the QC CUNY commencement ceremony.   She a was also awarded the  "Best Painter Award" & the  "Art Studio Award" , along with her B.F.A. degree. 

​

 

​

KNOX MARTIN on Kim deGaris the Artist:

 

"There is the flavour of an odd wildness that flows through Kims work...she is a poet, she is a risk taker, she is a real painter"

 

​

GAYLE WILLSON - Gayle Willson gallery, Southampton, LI, NY

​

"Kim deGaris has succeeded in merging her artistic skills and technical ability to produce work that is highly regarded in the art world.  

She is able to maintain vitality and growth to overcome complacency in her art by taking risks and exploring a variety of processes."

​

 

 

The Arts and Lifestyle of Ethnic/Nomadic cultures study

 

Having always been fascinated with nomadic cultures,  

Kim traversed Turkey over two separate summers from 

Dogobayazit in the west to Fethiye in the East seeking

"Yoruk" (nomadic tribes).

 

Kim was awarded a Kathryn C. Davis research Grant to study the culture and textile arts of the nomadic people in 2007. 

 

"During the second summers trip, I journeyed solo to three different regions of Turkey.  

Even though I arrived a complete stranger, unexpectedly, at remote nomadic outposts, I was consistently welcomed with "Hos geldiniz" (welcome to my home). I was shown great respect and consideration & felt safe at all times but for some dogs I surprised in the mountains. 

My Yoruk friends showed me a depth of kindness & hospitality I'd never expected or experienced before.

I learned how to find and use indigenous plants and minerals for dying and felting.

 

"I returned to New York with an array of antique as well as some recent tribal textiles, pieces that reflect and preserve the their vanishing techniques and traditions.

These pieces are imbued with ornament and imagery symbolic of protection, heritage, sustenance and fertility. Handwoven grain bags, embroidered dresses, ceremonial tunics, blankets, rudimentary antique wooden spinning tools, blankets & rugs.

 

Traditional methods and materials are fast becoming obsolete and it's no surprise that handmade textiles, tents, shepherd wear, spinning tools etc., are  been replaced with manufactured products & facsimiles for the tourist trade.. 

 

I developed a deep admiration for the extraordinarily warm, gracious and stalwart Nomadic (Yoruk) people, their indigenous arts and their rich vanishing culture,