Whenever artist Kimmy Cantrell looks around him, visions flow from his soul. “Landscapes become human forms and lumps of clay transform into vivid abstract figures,” the sculptor explains. With his striking ceramic faces, still lifes and nudes, the College Park, Georgia native conjures up imagery that beckons us to view ourselves and the world through an unorthodox lens.
Largely self-taught, Kimmy discovered his artistic vision in high school. His art teacher, Curtis Patterson, now at the Atlanta College of Art, admired his command of clay. Kimmy’s very first piece, a clay vase, landed on display at the Atlanta Board of Education Building. Still, he never considered making art his livelihood. Instead, he studied business administration at Georgia State University and spent 12 years in distribution management. In 1991, a recently divorced Kimmy left College Park to accept a job in rural South Georgia. There, after almost 20 years, his life came full circle. “I just decided one day that it was time to reconnect with the clay so I picked some up and sculpted a vase.“ Kimmy’s vases evolved into bowls, and bowls, faces. And, well, he hasn’t stopped creating since.