Every spring, the spell of the desert shimmers up from the arid Southwest. It winds northward across the Great Basin into the Cascade Mountains and whispers Linda Lee Kinman and her son Dusty Kinman’s names. And every spring, the Kinmans forsake the green vistas surrounding their Dexter, OR, homes to heed the call.

The Kinmans load up their 33 foot motor home and hit the road. For a few months, they are desert rats, collecting images of sunlight and wildflowers and desert golf courses. Both are avid golfers and enjoy playing and painting the many beautiful desert courses. Linda Lee has produced paintings and posters which are available thru the studio. She has several different images to offer in Giclee, poster and canvas transfer form.

KERRY KINMAN ( 1946 - 2008 )

Linda Lee’s husband and artist companion for 36 years, passed away on October 4th of 2008. Leaving his son Dusty and Linda Lee to continue on with the adventures in the desert without him. He is sorely missed for his beautiful paintings and his enthusiasm for the desert. He would travel here and fro hunting and photographing for spring flowers. In finding an outcropping he would jump out of the car, run over and stick his nose into the bloom and smell the fragrance and exclaim “WOW!” ‘This smells like my Grandmothers flower garden!” Remnants of desert sun sparkled in the artist’s eyes when he talked about his love for the Sonoran, Mojave and Colorado deserts.

They have been visiting these desert regions every year since 1983. “Some years the desert literally comes alive with a beautiful and fragrant wildflower explosion! It just depends on the rains.

Much of the joy we get from painting is sharing the deserts fleeting beauty with those who may not have the opportunity to see its brief glory. People tend to think of the desert as sand and heat and dead things. But in March and April it’s a totally different story!”

The Kinman’s both paint using only painting knives exclusively. “Many folks can’t believe we don’t use any brushes, They ask about the sky, “Don’t you use a brush for the sky?” To which we always reply ”the only brush work in our paintings is the signature.” Their unique technique of applying paint on to the canvas is atypical of most palette knife painters. Unlike the heavy impasto, build up appearance, they endeavor to use very little paint while at the same time achieving a great amount of detail for a crisp and concise application.

The tiny flower petals and fine thorny spines on the cactus might lead viewers to suspect their knives are as small as dental tools. In fact, they use quite large knives that they have fashioned themselves. A large boat-shaped knife with a pointed end about 3 inches long is used the most. “We use this knife for about 90% of the painting. I made it from a large triangular knife. I grind and sand on it until I get the shape and feel we like,” “You can’t buy a knife like this.”

Linda Lee havs been full time artists for 30 years. Dusty Kinman has been a full time artist for 14 years. “It’s taken a lot of work and effort but I know we are so very fortunate to do what we love and be able to make a living at it. It’s developed into a wonderful lifestyle. We’ enjoy our days to the fullest! We know we are blessed when we can spend our summer and fall at home in beautiful Oregon where we've lived in the same place for 33 years. Then, when the rain never stops, we take off to the Southwest deserts and enjoy the sun, the wildflowers, and the great golf courses there! Not to mention the many friends we’ve made over the years on the road. We can’t wait to go do it all again!”

Their art can be found in the collections of many art connoisseurs throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. In Galleries and art shows in the Southwest.

Linda Lee has been a featured artist in many magizine articles including Southwest Art, Art West, Wildlife Art, Arizona Now And Yippie Yi Yea Magazine. Among her collectors are Jackie Autry, Gerald McGrady and George Montgomery, whose collection of art at the Palm Springs Museum includes Linda Lee’s piece George purchased from her.

Linda Lee Kinman & Dusty Kinman