Artist Kristen Schimmel

The Tri-Cities are booming with arts and artists — perhaps nowhere more vibrantly than Batavia’s Water Street Studios, which hosts events, galleries and up to 25 artists in residence. Each month, Kane County Magazine and Water Street Studios are partnering to highlight artists and their work.

Kristen Schimmel became an artist at Water Street Studios 10 years ago. From there, her artistry quickly evolved from creation to volunteerism at the studio. “I just couldn’t find the time to work in my studio, but I wanted to stay involved in the community of artists that is WSS,” says Schimmel. “In 2016, I was asked to start instructing. The opportunity encouraged me to make art on a regular basis and allowed me to branch out and explore new art mediums.”

In 2016, Schimmel, Lori Botterman and Sabrina Martin created a committee for Project Fusion, a fundraiser withing WSS. “We held an evening event where prospective patrons came and met with WSS artists with the intention of commissioning an artwork,” she says. “The artists donated half of their proceeds to WSS. Several months later, we held a reveal masquerade party. Artists even made and sold masks for the event. I commissioned two works and bought a mask. It was a lot of work, and definitely a bit outside of my comfort zone. In the end, we netted $25,000 for WSS, and I have two works of art that mean so much to me.”

More recently, Schimmel has focused on instructing at the studio. “This past spring, I instructed a course where students painted a spring hare,” she says. “This was a step-by-step class and I had to break down my own painting techniques in order to reconstruct them for my students. The most challenging part was structuring the class so that the painting could be completed in two hours.”

To Schimmel, connection and accessibility are important aspects to sharing artforms in the community. “I think people need the arts, not just as an audience, but also as creators,” she says. “Most of the classes I instruct are for anyone, regardless of previous experience. As daily personal quiet time dwindles, the need to purposefully seek out ways to create space within ourselves is so much more important.”

As for her own gorgeous artwork, Schimmel currently has some paintings on display in the “Beyond the Bloom” exhibit at Bar Evolution in Batavia.

Kristin is an artist educator whose classes are designed to engage those who maybe haven’t immersed their lives in art, but would like to benefit from the mindful practice that making art offers to all.

To view more of Kyle Sowa's ceramic creations, follow him on Instagram @riverowlpottery.

u Winds of Change: acrylic on wood panel, 18x24, $750 v Dancing in the Rain: acrylic on Canvas, 36x36, $1,500 w Spring Hare: acrylic on paper, 12x18, $150 x Metamorphosis: watercolor and ink on paper, 4x5, $75 y Feathered: watercolor and ink on paper, 10x4, $50 z Gravity: acrylic on canvas, 18x18, $900

For more information on the artist of the month, head to waterstreetstudios.org or the organization’s social media pages.