kevin palme

In an ongoing series of oil paintings, Kevin Palme portrays stacks of ice cubes in hyperrealist detail.

Through his work, the Asheville artist continues to explore the idea of fragility and impermanence in an increasingly chaotic and frenetic world.

Artist: Born in Morristown, NJ, Palme grew up in Long Valley, NJ. He attended Wake Forest University, where he received a BA degree in studio art and later the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, GA, for an MFA in painting.

For 10 years, he also taught as an adjunct at Western Carolina University and Blue Ridge Community College while maintaining a studio practice, which was helpful as he was teaching art history classes in addition to painting and drawing.

Palme and his family have lived in Asheville since 2003.

Studio: Palme had a studio at his home in Asheville until 2010 when he moved into a studio downtown. Following a three-year rental in the River Arts District from 2011-2014, he moved to the Mill at Riverside, a converted mixed-use warehouse. He has been there since. Several other artists work in the complex, as well as a variety of other businesses.

In the beginning: Palme has always drawn and made some form of art.

When he was young, his grandmother watched him while his parents worked and encouraged him to draw. While she wasn’t necessarily artistic, Palme’s other grandmother was an artist.

But Palme did not begin taking art seriously until his freshman year at Wake Forest when he saw it as a potential career.

Art & materials: Minimalist oil paintings on canvas or occasionally on panel ($2,000 to $20,000). Subjects have included origami as well as stacks of ice cubes and paper boxes.

Palme said he began painting ice cubes in 2015 as a means of discussing impermanence. In some ways, they were and continue to be memorials, according to Palme, and an appreciation of ordinary or even mundane things.

Then, during the pandemic, while working at home with his three daughters out of school, he started drawing origami that the children had in their rooms. Those led him to paint origami, which continues to interest him

Must-have tools: Soft brushes, some large and many, very small. Good quality oil paint, like Gamblin, that makes great colors right out of the tube. It also has a great texture and produces some of his favorite colors. He also likes to use walnut oil as a medium.

Inspirations/influences

Early Northern Renaissance artists and their innovations of glazing to achieve complex darks and jewel-like color.
Later Baroque Renaissance paintings for their stage-like darkness.
Among the 20th century artists: Joan Miro, particularly for his sparse atmospheric paintings.
James Turrell and Andy Goldsworthy, as well as other land artists, for their consideration of light and context.
New contemporary work that pushes the possibilities for how paint can be used to become more than just paint.

Commissions:

His first “commission” was during Palme’s junior year at Wake Forest when his painting teacher (Page Laughlin) connected him with the Housing Authority in Winston-Salem to paint a mural with a group of kids.

After consulting with parents in the community, Palme and the kids designed a Keith Haring-inspired mural featuring a lion and dancing figures that they painted on the side a convenience store.

“It was very rewarding working with the kids,” said Palme. And it was the first time I was paid for making art.”

Triptyches for two private and separate commissions: one a set of ice cubes. The other a set of paper boxes. In both cases, the clients sent color swatches they wanted Palme to incorporate in the images.

What’s new:

Ten of his new works are part of the small group show “Essential” at Kai Lin Art in Atlanta. Through April 2.
A selection of his work in the show “Recent Paintings” at Gallery Henoch in NYC. Through April 5.

What’s next: Continuing to paint images of ice cubes and origami while exploring possibilities of a few large paintings featuring skies and clouds at sunrise and sunset.

“They offer new challenges in regard to technique and color,” said Palme.

Where to buy: kevinpalme.com. And galleries, including: