Check out Kimberly Sherro’s Artwork

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Sherro.

Kimberly, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I’ve been drawing since I was old enough to hold a pencil. My mom had a story about how she swore I was going to be left handed because by 2 years old Id painted a “rainbow” trout with my left hand…but alas I’m a right-y.

I did illustrations, tattoo design, logo design, and freelance work for fun as well as to make a bit of an income until I was 20. The week of my 21st birthday my mother passed away. Distracted and depressed, I didn’t want to focus on anything but art. I wasn’t doing art professionally at that point, but any project to take my mind off of the chaos that was my life. The Joker illustration that I am “known for” is actually from the week that my mother passed away and I decided to bury myself in my craft.

At 21 years old, a family friend came to my house and needed my boyfriend for a few hours for a task, jokingly he said to me “why don’t you see if you can draw me as a cartoon by the time we’re done” and in that hour my life entirely changed.

I was able to draw them both as cartoons almost without effort. I took my new-found obsession and applied at the Art Institute. Immediately I was enrolled and it was either “hit the ground running” or fail 5 classes, each costing $2,000 a pop. And so, I drew… and sculpted and painted and 3D modeled and animated until I would literally cry from exhaustion/fear of failure at times when the assignments seemed too lofty or my ambition had gotten me in a tight spot. 3 years later I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree in Media Arts and animation. I graduated at the top of my class and I won “best in show” for animation at the graduation portfolio show.

Since then I have started my own LLC “Zeus Media”, the Az based design company, consisting solely of myself. I have done art that’s been featured in billboards and in Easter campaigns for mega-churches. I have done movie posters. My favorite was the premiere poster for the Open Road film DOPE for their phoenix release. I have made logos and branding decisions for companies domestic and abroad, with some of my favorite folks being in London.

I have no specific art direction, other than that my art is often morbid. I find myself drawn to dia de los muertos art and what a professor came to call “nautical goth”, like the Skulltopus digital painting featured on my Instagram. Although I also draw softer, child friendly illustrations that are largely inspired by my little girl.

Currently I am taking on commissions of all sorts and becoming more open to working with an art agent so that I can work more on the arts themselves, and less on selling my finished products. I am excited to create anything and everything that I can going forward, with my main focus being on 2D illustrations, traditional drawing, and 3D modeling.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I love creating strange art. Things you’d never see, and often never hope to see. I draw scary Teddys and skulls with octopus tentacles. I’d love to say that I have a reason for them, but truly I sit down to draw and these abominations are what come out. I love embracing chaos. Unfortunately, most of my Dia de Los Muertos art is a constant homage to my mother. She passed away in 2012 and even though she was a white woman from Ohio, she taught me Spanish and Mexican culture from a young age. She was very endeared to that culture, I was raised fluent in Spanish I love skull art and so, the traditional Mexican art honoring the dead seems apt.

I also draw children’s art. Anything and everything from insects to friendly characters and goofy scenes. My favorite part of art has always just been drawing things for people. One reason it has taken me so long to realize my own style is that I have spent my life asking “what can I draw for you?”. It started as favors for family members and snowballed into tattoo design for almost everyone I knew. So really, I love to draw whatever will please the person who is asking me to draw. I enjoy helping people realize imagery that they have in their head and just aren’t equipped to draw themselves.

Artists face many challenges, but what do you feel is the most pressing among them?
The sheer mass of art! It’s intimidating. It’s hard to put your art out into the world when everyone you know seems to be making art. Finding he confidence to post your art online and to continue to evolve, learn, and draw new things each day is a challenge, but totally necessary.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
My work is constantly being updated on my Instagram @KimberlySherroArt I am currently taking on commissions for anything from concept design to graphic design to 3D modeling and children’s illustrations. If you need it, I can do it. I can be contacted at Kimberly.Sherro@gmail.com or directly on Instagram through message.

Contact Info:

• Website: kimberlysherro.com
• Phone: 4803829246 (by text or call)
• Email: kimberly.sherro@gmail.com
• Instagram: @kimberlysherroart

Image Credit:
Kimberly Sherro @kimberlysherroart.

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