To me, great art is capturing the emotion of the place, not just making a pretty picture. I believe very strongly in working directly from nature to capture the essence and truth in ones paintings. I respect nature as a great teacher." Kami Polzin is an inspired painter and an inspiring teacher whose enthusiasm for painting and teaching is contagious. Kami grew up just North of Stillwater, MN on the family farm where her daily wanderings taught her to have a great love and respect for the qualities of the natural world that would later provide her with the inspiration that has led her on a life long journey as a painter.
She is greatly influenced by a number of painters including Isaac Levitan, Joaquin Sorolla, the 19th century Russian painters and many American painters both living and deceased. Part of Kami`s path as a painter has included studying with some of the countries finest painters including Mary Pettis, Joseph Paquet and John Foote, where she explored many areas of study including Classical Realism, the prismatic palette and portrait painting. Her first love is painting outside on location where she can experience first hand how the light plays across a field of prairie grass and how to translate and portray her vision of that experience to you.
Kami`s enthusiasm for what she does has spread and she is a sought after instructor in both studio and plein air landscape painting. If not in the field painting and teaching, Kami can be found at her Rivertown Studio in Stillwater, MN painting. She has recently returned from Tuscany Italy where she painted and taught a plein air workshop.
Her work can be seen locally at the Tamarack House Gallery in Stillwater, MN, Gallery 135 in St Croix Falls WI, or by appointment at Rivertown Studio 651-210-4337.
Recent Awards and Shows Include:
Most Classic Beauty Award Phipps Center For the Arts June, 2008
Oil Painters of America National Show. Missoula MT Opening May 1 2008
Nomades Del Arte ~ March 1-31, 2008
Sage Creek Gallery Santa Fe New Mexico
Salon International 2008 ~ May 11, 2008
A project of the International Museum of Contemporary Masters of Fine Art
-Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art - Texas
Artist Choice Award at the Stillwater "en Plein Air" Event ~ October 2007
Participant OPA's Great Paint Out ~ Stillwater MN ~ 2007
Barns and Farms National Exhibit ~ Barnsite Art Studio and Gallery ~ 2007
Salon International 2007 ~ Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art ~ 2007
The Paintings of Kami Polzin Solo Exhibition ~ Stillwater, MN ~ MAY 2007
Tuscany Exibition ~ SoHo New York City ~ Broom Street Gallery ~ March of 2007
The Phipps Center ~ Award of Merit 2006
Artists of Minnesota ~ Super Gold Award 2006
Artists of Minnesota ~ People`s Choice Award 2006
Artists of Minnesota ~ Creative Originality Award 2006
