Magic Circle is a collection of artwork in various medias from drawings to intaglio prints to readings to an illustrated book. It began with a series of graphite drawings that Kathleen Zimmerman created after she graduated from Art School. At that time she realized she wanted to create Art that had meaning to her not just what was the current trend in Art or what someone else thought Art should be. She had already developed a distinctive visual language and in these drawings she wanted to express her love for the natural world and strong connection with animals. So, she began drawing different circles of life to communicate the interconnectedness of all things using a few animals in each. One circle of life drawing is shown below, which is titled Tundra.
These drawings inspired her to clarify her thinking about life and the wonderful creatures that we share the planet with. Her prolonged interest in philosophy, and mythology, had its influence and caused her to write a mythical tale titled Magic Circles. Spirits, forces of nature, and circles of life, made up the cast of characters. As she was writing Magic Circles, she began using different animals from each circle of life drawing in short animal tales at the end of each chapter to expand the ideas of her main storyline. These animal tales eventually became her main interest and with the help of her son Jacob, became poetic.
These animal tales / poems are what make up the book Magic Circle (above) along with seven circle of life illustrations. Magic Circle plays with life’s issues faced in infancy, youth, maturity. middle age, old age, death/rebirth and ending in the here and now. There are three animal tales/poems dealing with different aspects of these issues making up the seven chapters; Magic Ocean, Magic Jungle, Magic Forest, Magic Savanna, Magic Tundra, Magic Desert and Magic Farm. To see a preview and to order the newly released book click on this link: https://www.blurb.com/b/11930658-magic-circle or contact us by going to the contact page on this website.
Besides the book, Kathleen began performing readings of these animal tales / poems both at art exhibitions, poetry readings, and for her own entertainment. One recording of a reading, Bear, Porcupine, and Me can be heard by clicking on the arrow above, but the whole series can be heard by going to the menu item, Magic Circle Readings.
Recently, Kathleen translated her drawings into a small edition of intaglio prints. These hand-made prints capture the simple beauty of the drawings but by using ink instead of graphite, white charcoal, and spots of acrylic paint, they offer the viewer a more contrasted, textured and highlighted version. Above are studio photos of the etched plates, a wiped plate, a print being pulled, the plate and the print shown together, the print hung up to start the drying process and prints edited and framed. Below are the edited prints: Ocean, Jungle, Forest, Savanna, Tundra, Desert, and Farm. While these circles of life may seem simple; drawing in a circular format, interlocking the imagery and creating a set of seven that all go together is not. We are quite proud of this collection and Kathleen Zimmerman’s artistic vision. Their first exhibition will be in Chelsea Art District in New York City this month!
Exhibitions starting and finishing this month!
Canal Street Art Gallery’s Open
April 16 - May 4
Atlantic Gallery
548 W. 28th St., Suite 540, New York, NY
Opening Reception: Thursday April 18th 6 - 8pm
Besides the above intaglio/charcoal/paint prints, Zimmerman’s cast sculpture Global - Bear Hug and Moon Rabbit will be part of this exhibition. (shown below)
Canal Street Art Gallery’s New Work
February 16 - April 13
23 Canal Street, Bellows Falls, Vermont
Opening Reception: Friday February 16th 5 - 7pm
Rights - Unbalanced, an intaglio/charcoal print on the right, is part of the New Works Exhibition at Canal Street Art Gallery on view in their Vermont gallery until April 13th. (shown below)
Art can be timely as well as timeless,
and start a revolution of kindness.
Kathleen Zimmerman