By Paul M. Howey
Kristin Foley grew up in what she describes as “the middle of nowhere with nothing but nature to keep me occupied.” Home was Cuba, a small farm town about 90 minutes south of Rochester in New York surrounded by cows and corn. Her mother is an elementary school teacher who Kristin says is excited to be retiring this year, and her father owns a motorcycle repair shop. “You can find him riding in the woods in the summer or ice racing on the frozen Cuba Lake every Sunday in the winter.”
She says she spent much of her time in the woods—hiking, biking, or on horseback. “This influenced my love of nature and fueled my desire to use nature as a key element in my artwork.”
Her artistic interests began early. “Growing up, I was given a new set of art supplies for every birthday and Christmas.” She adds, “As I got older, I began saving money for specific art supplies.”
Her hometown didn’t have any art stores. So every time her family visited her grandparents in Pittsburgh, they would always stop at an art supply store so she could stock up on the newest medium in which she was interested.
After high school, Kristin knew she wanted to study art in college, but her parents were skeptical about the prospects of her making a living as an artist. Kristin says, “I wasn’t sure what direction my life was headed, so honestly I just picked a school that was close to home.” After two years at the State University of New York at Fredonia, however, she knew it wasn’t the right fit for her.
A childhood friend, who was attending Appalachian State University in Boone, invited her to visit. “As soon as I arrived, I instantly fell in love with the mountains. The next semester, I transferred schools and moved away from all I knew to create a new home in the Blue Ridge Mountains.”
At ASU, Kristin immersed herself in art studies, falling quickly in love with mixed media. Spending so much time in the studio though made her miss being outdoors. “So I was compelled to bring nature into the studio. I began using nature as texture in my paintings, as well as in my ceramics and printmaking.”
But something started going horribly wrong. Prior to starting her senior year, Kristin began experiencing debilitating migraine headaches. She also lost a lot of weight and was eventually taken to the emergency room where it was discovered her blood sugar levels were dangerously high. In addition to learning she had Type 1 Diabetes, she was later diagnosed with neuropathy and fibromyalgia. “I now endure anxiety and depression centering around a constant need for medical attention,” she explains.
Through it all, she persevered and earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in 2011. “The years added up,” she says, “and it ended up taking me ten years to graduate.” wanted to stay in the mountains after college but felt a pull to move a larger city filled with art and other cultural opportunities. “I fell in love with the River Arts District and would frequently visit there, scoping out different buildings and studios.” She found a studio she lovingly referred to as “my closet.” Later on, she rented a space in the Wedge Studios on Roberts Street overlooking the French Broad River.
In explaining the origin of her textural techniques, Kristin says, “In college, I was building up layers of paint for dimension. One day while working, I accidentally knocked over a bouquet of dried flowers all over my wet painting. While attempting to pick the petals out, it was a like a lightbulb went on in my head and I realized that this was the direction I needed to take! I have been exploring using natural textures in my work ever since.” She describes what she does as “sculptural painting.”
She enjoys watching people’s curiosity about the textures in her creations. “It draws them in, layer by layer. First, they see a painting that is textured, but then realize the texture is made with real preserved plants—or is it clay?”
When she’s not in her studio, she’s often outside enjoying nature. “I am often that weirdo walking out of the woods with a pile of sticks, or cutting down weeds … to (use) for my art.”
As for the future, Kristin says she hopes one day to be the proud owner of a therapy miniature horse that can help bring happiness not only to her, but also to others. “I want to reach out to those suffering medical hardship just like I do and share that joy with others.
Kristin Foley’s work is currently on display at Foggy Mountain Brew Pub in downtown Asheville. Her studio is on the second floor of Wedge Studios, 129 Roberts Street in the River Arts District. You can see more online at kristinfoley.com and can reach her at Kristin@kristinfoley.com. (Photo of artist by Paul M. Howey)
