Main Event Gallery features Animal Instincts
Jul. 14—Artist Tricia Kibler says, "Art is in my bones. It's vital to me and I can't remember ever being without it." This popular local artist is know for her incredible unique style of contemporary art and making personal connections with people through her unforgettable paintings filled with beauty and emotion.
Kibler's art will be featured in the Main Event Gallery's July 15-August 6 exhibit, "Animal Instincts," along with multi-dimensional art by gallery members.
Meet the artists at the Main Event Gallery reception, Friday, July 15, 5:30-7:30 p.m., 710 Main St., Red Bluff. Don't miss this last art show of the summer at the gallery sponsored by the Tehama County Arts Council.
Kibler is a self-taught artist growing up drawing and painting with a desire to create art any way she could. She came from an artistic family; her brother and aister being artists. Her mother was a teacher and father a veterinarian who sketched animals for purposes of his work.
She pursued a career in hairstyling and really enjoyed that creative outlet for several years until her 2-year-old son, Wyatt, became very ill and was diagnosed with type I Diabetes and needed full-time care. Being a mother first, Kibler closed her salon to take care of him. That creative need remained, so she turned back to her artwork.
That was 12 years ago, and with her husband Matt's encouragement, Kibler's passion for art has led to several solo shows locally, and her art has gained popularity with a wide social media audience online. "My art has grown and changed tremendously since my first solo show, along with me," she added.
"I haven't put a name on my style, its what I have developed over the years. I believe that art is an extension of who you are and I love to express myself in that way. "
Kibler likes connecting with people through her art.
"Not wanting to over-explain my paintings, I let people see what they get out of them." she said. "Often it's something that I haven't even thought about. It's a continual learning process for me and I enjoy the interactions."
She is very disciplined with her art, and says things don't feel right if she hasn't painted for at least a couple hours each day.
Giving back to her community, in 2017 Kibler began teaching elective art to middle through high school students in her hometown of Cottonwood.
"I didn't get to take art classes when I was in high school and wanted to share the art experience with students at that age because it's an important outlet for expressing themselves and building self-esteem. It also teaches dedication to a task," she says.
Kibler's current art is unique because she uses birch boards to paint on with acylics and prisma pencils. "My inspirations come from life events or from observing others. It could be from a facial expression, clothing, or a color. I have a great love of animals, especially horses. Since my Dad was a veterinarian, we always had an assortment of animals around us. They're often incorporate into my paintings," she adds.
That's where she came up with the theme for the current series of paintings in the Main Event Gallery exhibit, "Animal Instincts."
"These paintings illustrate the symbiotic human and animal pairings that represent a range of our emotions, desires, personality traits and basic instincts. I'm excited about this theme and have completed 22 painting so far and have just begun exploring it," she said.
Regarding her art, Kibler says she paints beautiful images because the world can seem too heavy and she wants to fill it with beauty, not add to the darkness.
"That can sometimes be difficult, but how do you get to, and fully appreciate the beautiful places without first navigating through the dark?" she said.
For more of Kibler's art go to "Tricia Paints" on Facebook or "triciakibler" on instagram. Gallery hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday, Friday and Saturday. For information email tcacarts@gmail.com.
