Kristin Kwan

"Cherry Blossoms" watercolor

"Dinner Party"  watercolor

"Golden Fish"  oil on paper

"Red Bird"  oil on paper

"New Growth"

Kristin Kwan (or Kristin Elder) is an artist and illustrator, especially of children's books. Her personal work reflects this but adds to it an element of humor and even sometimes of horror that might be lost on younger viewers. The balance between the cute on the one hand and a peculiar solemnity on the other add to the artist's undeniable technical skills to make this work a notch (or two or three) above others of it's ilk. She is also, quite clearly something a naturalist, an artist who cannot resist rendering birds and trees for their own sake. The appearance of very real creatures in mythical milieus gives these fantasies an atmosphere of solidity and substance instead of mere trifles. At times it creates the kind of fantasy one imagines you could walk into and live in for a while.
You can see more work plus her illustrations on her website: kristinkwan.com
Skethches like "New Growth" (above) can be found on her blog.
thanks to www.neatorama.com/art/