Kristen Stein is an award-winning Contemporary Artist living in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Region. Kristen’s works are currently available on a variety of online venues, or through her websites StudioArtworks.com and KristensCreations.com. Kristen’s paintings are in public and private collections within Australia, Canada, Hawaii, Hong Kong, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Japan, Philippines, the United Kingdom, and throughout the continental United States. Her art has appeared in numerous printed media including posters, book cover, CD Covers, calendars and program covers.

Where were you born, where do you live now, any other background info?

I was born in Ohio and grew up in California. I went to graduate school in Virginia and then spent about a decade in Colorado. A few years ago we made a big move to the East Coast and I now reside near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

How would you describe your work?

Some of my works start with detailed sketches while others are created from a blank canvas layer by layer until the final painting is achieved. I like to work in a wide range of styles and materials as this allows me to keep my art fresh and new. I would describe my landscapes as moody, mysterious and atmospheric in nature. They allow me to experiment with color and texture while capturing the beauty of a wide open meadow, field, ocean, or impending storm, etc. Many of these pieces are directly influenced by my time spent in Colorado, California and Spain. My enchanted garden series allows me to capture a world of my imagination where birds, snakes, plants, flowers, trees, butterflies, etc. can be expressed in a wild whimsical way. They are bold, bright and wonderfully fun to create. My art-deco cubist paintings are my story-telling paintings. This style allows me to capture a certain sentiment or tell a story in the painting. Paintings influenced by September 11th, Hurricane Katrina and the deaths of my grandmothers are among the works in the art deco cubist collection.

What processes and techniques do you use to create your work?

My landscapes are created with many layers of contrasting colors working up to the final imagery that I am trying to create with the mood and feel of the particular landscape. I love creating a canvas that looks weathered and worn even though it is brand new. I achieve this through a variety of layers…..sometimes with molding paste, string, tissue, newsprint, sand, grit, flower petals, and a variety of other products added to the canvas (or removed from the canvas) during the painting process.

I daydream a lot! I often close my eyes and picture the painting before it is created. I rarely try to replicate a photograph, but instead use the colors and shapes as a guideline for what I want to create.

Are you a full time artist?

Yes. I am a full-time artist. I feel fortunate to be able to spend my days doing something that I love. I am pleased that my customers, friends and family have been so supportive and have allowed me to pursue my dreams as an artist on a daily basis.

How did you get started?

I remember being passionate about art from a very young age. I started by creating art as gifts for friends and family. Then when I was in graduate school studying for my Ph.D. in Economics, I started painting again as a hobby and as a way to focus my mind on something other than exams. I purchased website domains and listed several of my pieces on major auction sites like EBay. Over time, my hobby grew into a full-time business. I still use a lot of my economics background for the business side of things, but I clearly allowed the artistic side to take over and I haven’t looked back.

Any notable accomplishments?

I have been lucky to have some great exposure for my work recently.

A set designer for Warehouse 13 saw a collaborative work “Spirit of Autumn Fire” that artist Lyse Marion and I did together. This set designer chose the work to be displayed prominently on the Warehouse 13 set.

In addition to the exposure on Warehouse 13, several pieces will appear in an upcoming movie called “The Roommate” due in theaters in 2010, and a new TV show on FOX called “Past Life” airing in January.

A new book “Spirituality of Sex” features my “Shakti: Energy Goddess Design”

The Jazz Club and Angels of September were used as the cover art for the Allied Social Science Associations Annual Meetings.

Here Comes the Sun has been selected for the cover of a Jazz CD due out in 2010.

Mother Nature and Child was used in a logo for a Los Angeles based SIDS foundation:

Lastly, my children’s book “The Vegetarian Lion” was picked up by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) for sale in the Children’s section of their website (also available through Amazon).

Where can we find more info and keep up with your work?

You can learn more about me on my website:  StudioArtworks.com
You can follow my blog: kristensteinfineart.blogspot.com
You can stay up to date on Twitter: twitter.com/kristensteinart
Or become a Fan on Facebook : http://artist.to/kristensteinfineart
I have an etsy boutique that offers originals paintings, handcrafted artisan jewelry and gifts featuring my artwork : http://kristensteinfineart.etsy.com
And, of course, you can find a large number of my prints on Imagekind: http://kristensteinfineart.imagekind.com

What artists inspire you?

I truly am inspired by everything that I see, read and hear. I try to watch and listen to everything in the world around me and incorporate this into my work in some way. There are so many artists whose work I enjoy. It would be hard to choose only a few and I would be certain to leave someone unmentioned. So, I will say that from the many forums in which I have participated, each artist whom I have met over the past 10 years has inspired me and motivated me in one way or the other. As for as the masters, I’d say that artists like Picasso and Gris have influenced my cubist works as well as the fabrics, advertising and illustrators from the art deco period. I have been greatly influenced by the colors and patterns used by Matisse and the geometric works of Rothko and Frank Llyod Wright.

Elena Kalis was born in Moscow (Russia) but has, for the past ten years, lived on a small island in the Bahamas with her husband and two children. She has an education in traditional art, but has recently been following her interest in photography.  Over the past year she has been doing some underwater projects with her children and their friends.  Some of Elena’s images have been used for books, magazines and CD covers, and have also appeared in print magazines and online publications.

Where were you born, where do you live now, any other background info?

My name is Elena Kalis. I was born in Moscow (Russia) and have lived for the past ten years on a small island in the Bahamas with my husband and two children. I have an education in art (traditional paintings and drawings) , but have recently been following my interest in photography. I have been doing some underwater projects with my children and friends for the past year.

How would you describe your work?

Alice in WaterLand.  That’s the name of my recent project and it’s describe my work as well.

What processes and techniques do you use to create your work?

Digital photography. I use Canon 5D with housing and 28 or 50mm lens. Post process in Photoshop.I shoot in pool and ocean.

Are you a full time artist?

I am full time mother and remaining time artist.

How did you get started?

I love ocean and I spend a lot of time in the water (with camera and without) so it was natural thing for me to do.

Any notable accomplishments?

I was doing underwater photography for little over a year now.It’s not that long but I have a lot of response from the people. Some of my work have been used for book, magazine and CD covers, and have appeared in print magazines and online publications. Underwater images are liquid, weightless and have dream-like quality. That’s probably why they are so appealing to many people.

Where can we find more info and keep up with your work?

My personal site: elenakalisphoto.com

Other public places: Facebook Flickr Carbonmade

What artists inspire you?

I recently discovered for myself work of photographer Connie Imboden and it’s changed how I look at the reflections now. However my inspiration is not necessarily coming from the work of other artists. It could be anything really, small things around me…

There’s something about good black and white photography that always seems to amaze me. Maybe it’s the simplicity found from stripping out the color. Or the contrasts between dark and light that forces detail to the forefront. Whatever it is, there is something magical about black and white photography. Like seeing the world in a completely different way: simple.

Check out some of my favorite black and white photos on Imagekind below.

Harry Kikstra is an outstanding photographer. Simply looking at his Imagekind galleries will confirm this claim. His photographs provide a glimpse into a world that many of us may never experience. Whether it is in the heart (or head) of Tibet or the vastness of America, his breathtaking shots will leave you in awe of our planet and all there is to enjoy about it.

Bio: Harry Kikstra is a climber/expedition leader/ photographer/ filmmaker/ producer/ writer/ public speaker/ cyclist and many other things that have to do with sharing the beauty of the outdoors. I have climbed the 7 continental highpoints and have traveled a lot and will not stop soon, though normally I am based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

His personal site, ExposedPlanet.com is not only a way to show his portfolio, but also to share the beauty of our planet. Nowadays negative press & media might make people scared of everything foreign or different: culture, religion, people and the places themselves. This xenophobia is taking over our lives and prevents us from seeing the real world as it is: a wonderful place with beautiful people. There are no bad or evil countries, religions or people. There is bad and good people in every culture, including your own.

I hope I can share a bit of the amazement I have enjoyed while traveling the 7 continents.

1. What is your inspiration? What keeps you making art?

The wonderful world around me. The desire to share the new places I visit, new people I meet and a deeper knowledge of places and people I already knew before. Positive things like colors and culture, but sometimes also negative things like injustice and anger.

I started my photoblog ExposedPlanet.com not only as a way to show my portfolio, but also to share the beauty of our planet. Nowadays negative press & media might make people scared of everything foreign or different: culture, religion, people and the places themselves. This xenophobia is taking over our lives and prevents us from seeing the real world as it is: a wonderful place with beautiful people. There are no bad or evil countries, religions or people. There is bad and good people in every culture, including your own.

2. What made you decide to be a Photographer?

I always loved to take photos, but it got reinforced by positive feedback on my images. I noticed that my audience got intrigued by my photos and got curious about the stories behind it. Also I love the power of images, just a still moment can say more than a movie of an hour. Besides I love the technical aspects of photography, cameras & lenses & post-processing, trying to teach and improve myself constantly.

3. How does Travel influence the way you see the world and your art?

It is the catalyst. It opens up a virtually endless array of subjects and stories and enlightens me. It is the best education you can ever get. Many Westerners do not appreciate that our freedom to travel is one of the highest freedoms there is. They take it for granted and do not use this freedom. Those who do not travel do not realize they are stuck in a box, of which walls and windows (if any) are tainted by commercial media and politics. Step outside and look further.

Practically speaking I need to carry a laptop and an external hard disk as well. As it is very likely that if one gets lost stolen or submerged in water, the other will too, so I also use an online backup service. Also, when climbing to high altitude, the weight of the cameras and lenses are a burden, but that is worth it.

4. What programs and tools do you use to create your photography? What equipment do you use?

I switched to Digital 4 years ago, until then I was mostly using slides on my Canon Eos3. After the canon 20D & 5D, I am now using the 5D mark II, a wonderful machine. As I am traveling I am space and weight limited, and need to make a selection of lenses, so I take only my favorites for a fairly broad range: 16-35mm zoom, 50mm fixed and 135mm fixed.

Of course, often opening and closing the shutter only takes as little as 1/8000 of a second, I spend much more time afterward with processing.
Before I used PhotoShop, but now I am very happy with LightRoom, as I do not need all the PS features, mostly I alter only the basics like contrast and fill light, I do hardly ever use any layer masks etc.. I have created some panoramas as well, using LR, PS & Hugin. I can spend hours tweaking one photo, while several hundred others are waiting

5. What is your favorite thing to shoot?

Life. I specially love to capture mountains and kids. It is always difficult to explain to others why I choose to climb mountains (I have climbed the ‘7 summits’, the highest mountain on every continent, including Everest), so I try to show it instead.
Kids are the same all over the world, just their surroundings are different, but I love the honesty & joy in their faces.

6. Which artists inspire you & what are your favorite pieces/artists on Imagekind?

I am a fan of originality and truth, both can move me. I really have no favorite artists, as a favorite style would probably mean that many images will look alike. But am always positively surprised by pieces or art I encounter while browsing Imagekind and random photoblogs. I think there is a lot of talent around that are not famous. The digital world has changed the artist landscape I think.

7. Who is your target audience? What do you do to market to them specifically?

I have never shot specifically for a target audience and do not know who they are exactly, so maybe you should contact my buyers on Imagekind and ask them! I just shoot my images and upload them to my websites, specifically ExposedPlanet.com, where I link to my Imagekind  gallery.

That site is very popular, though it is very basic and has never been promoted by Google advertisements, fancy tricks or software. It is just the content that makes people come, I think it has page-rank 6 from Google at the moment.

I think my viewers are travelers, or people who want to be inspired by travels and want to know the real stories, not what the media wants you to believe. The most images I sell are my landscapes, I think a lot of travelers & climbers buy these, as most do not take heavy equipment up high mountains like I do… I do market the photos from my other website, 7summits.com, which caters to climbers & hikers.

Currently I am not updating my portfolio much, as I am traveling by bicycle from Alaska to Argentina (now in Mexico), but I do post images on my travelblog and some of them are already available on Imagekind as well.

8. Are you a full time artist, do you participate in Galleries and Shows?

I organize Mountaineering expeditions, and run several websites, this takes up a lot of my time. I am a full-time traveler though, have been on the road/mountains for the past several years and will be for the years to come. I work from the road (literally) and therefore it is hard to organize shows and galleries, that’s why Imagekind is so great. I guess I need a manager for the real-world galleries/shows (any takers?), as I am sure it will be great. Many of my images need a large size print before you can truly appreciate the scenery.

9. Do you belong to any social networks? How is it working for you?

I am very suspicious about copyrights management and therefore I have stayed away from Facebook (and most photo competitions). I am on LinkedIn and sometimes share advice on the forums. I use Twitter (@ExposedPlanet) to make some quick blog updates and to share some images, but mostly I use it to search current events.

What is getting more important for me are the social travel networks, such as CouchSurfing.org , WarmShowers.org (for traveling cyclists) & HospitalityClub.org . These are wonderful ways to meet local people, who not only offer free places to stay, but they take you to the real sights, not what the brochures want you to see..

My real social network is the world. We are all connected, but we only have one life to enjoy it.

I hope I can share a bit of the amazement I have enjoyed while traveling the 7 continents. The more I see, the more I know I still have to see and I will. Life is too short to focus on not-existing enemies & fears.

My images show some of the varied culture and nature that is to be found on our 7 continents. I hope that it will sparkle your imagination, make you curious or even just educate you a bit, being maybe the 3 most important aspects of society in my view. A picture can say more than a 1000 wars and can maybe help understand the world around us. It’s a small place, so maybe we can make the best of it together.

At Imagekind, we’re constantly looking for ways to innovate the way you shop, or sell, framed artwork. That’s why we are continually making updates and improvements to our site and features. Recently we’ve made some exciting updates and wanted to share them all with you. Take a look! We hope you are excited as we are about these fantastic improvements to Imagekind.
	Search Filtering Looking for that perfect piece of art? Search filtering allows you to narrow your search by medium, subject, genre, and more!
	Color Picker Discover art from every color of the wheel. The Imagekind Color Picker returns artwork based on your color choice.
	Best Selling Frames It is now easier to find the perfect frame for your art. Easily choose from our best selling frames or view the entire collection.
	More Lifelike Frames We’ve updated the frame and canvas preview for a more accurate view. Now you can see an approximation of the finished canvas wrap.
	Updated Checkout Breaking the checkout process into five seamless, easy steps allows for a more enjoyable and overall clearer shopping experience.
These are just a few of the ways we continue to improve Imagekind; truly innovating the way you shop, sell and create framed art. - Nate

Whether you recently received a framed art print for Christmas or other holiday celebration, or just want to infuse some change for the coming New Year, deciding how to decorate with artwork can be a stressful process.

The constant second guessing of what will look good on the wall, where things should go, what art should be paired together, can often lead to an overwhelming sense of confusion. However, displaying and decorating with artwork doesn’t need to be that difficult. In fact, it can be quite fun and rewarding.

Natasha Wescoat, one of our member artists, has five tips for displaying artwork on her blog that I found particularly insightful.

Here’s what Natasha has to say about Rotating and Displaying Art:

1. Create a group of art/photos on the wall to create an interesting focal point and eclectic feel. Plan the way you want to hang them by doing placement on the floor, and then map out where they will go. Having prints, originals, or sculpture together in a group looks beautiful and complex.
2. Use an easel to display paintings. This adds interest and dimension as well as provides for ease of change. And no need for tools! (unless you intend to BUILD an easel.)
3. Set art on the floor. With the right structure, sturdy paintings as well as framed prints can be displayed separately or in clusters under tables, against walls, or in corners. It adds depth and energy to the area. Be sure you don’t do this with LARGE pieces, or they may warp.
4. Display art inside glass door cabinets or standing on shelves along with other artifacts, such as books or collectibles. It’s modern and exciting!
5. Rotate your art collection! Another great refreshing splash to any room is to switch out artwork for other ones. Display a new set of works each week, month, season, or special occasion. It’s nice to have a huge art collection to be able to do this. Rotating your art collection freshens up a room and makes everything feel new. People will ask if you renovated your living room!

If you are looking for more design tips, make sure to check out Imagekind where you can find all kinds of great resources and ideas.

From everyone at Imagekind we want to wish you a very happy holidays!

Have a Merry Christmas, Happy  Hanukkah, great Boxing Day, or any other holiday you might celebrate. Above all, enjoy family, friends and be safe; whatever treacherous weather you might find yourself in this season!

Please note: The Imagekind offices will be closed December 25 in observance of Christmas.

Miss the shipping deadlines? No worries, it’s never too late to send an Imagekind e-Gift Card

With the Imagekind Gift Card, you can shop from over one million framed art prints. Or choose to create your own masterpiece and frame your photos or print them on canvas.

Need some last minute inspiration? Don’t forget to shop the Imagekind Gift Guide and find the perfect gift for everyone on your list.