About Kimber

©2017 Dyan Sykora

Kimber started her creative career by creating artwork mainly for family and friends. She enjoyed unusual projects the best - once painting a bi-plane on a ceiling, where the broken ceiling fan became the plane's propeller!

​In 2005 Kimber was asked to join the Creative Women's Art Guild, which then collectively joined a new co-op gallery in Marshall in 2006 called Greenstreet Arts. She spent the next six years totally immersed in the gallery; as a displaying artist, leader of the artist co-op, and a member of the Board of Directors. During her time there the gallery moved three times and changed its name to EastEnd Studio & Gallery. She values the knowledge that she gained during her time there. In 2012 Kimber decided she wanted to focus on large murals instead of "easel art". Since it is hard to display and sell building-size murals, she left the gallery and has been fulfilled as a mural artist.

From 2015 to 2019 Kimber and fellow artists Sabine LeDieu and Michelle Frank collaborated on projects at their professional art studio, The Changling Lab. The Changling Lab focused on artwork using recycled materials and/or created public works of art, most of the time with community involvement. The studio closed when the property converted back into a school.

Kimber earned a degree in Advertising from Michigan State University in 1991 and soon began a career as a graphic designer, working for over 20 years in the prepress department of several print shops in the local area. She then worked for 7 years as the Marketing Manager at the Calhoun County Visitors Bureau. She now uses her graphic design skills and marketing knowledge in her current position as the Director of Tourism for Marshall, MI, working at the Choose Marshall Welcome Center.

Although mural painting is her passion, Kimber works in many different mediums and sizes - when a project comes to mind it often dictates which medium to use. She works in mural paints, latex house paint, acrylics (using glaze layers), charcoal, pen & ink, watercolor, dry pastel, and more.

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Artist Resumé

JANUARY 2022 • "Risen Hand of God"
Murals painted inside a new business called Risen Bakery in Mason, MI

SEPTEMBER 2021 • "Brooks Airfield"
Repainted these historic letters on top of the hanger with fellow painter Todd Smith.

OCTOBER 2021 • "ARTgardens"
Portable, temporary bright pops of color, just like flowers that bloom in your garden. For ArtPrize 2021 Kimber and her art partner Sabine LeDieu displayed 7 pillars, covered with recycled billboard material, that showcased these murals that can be rented or purchased and displayed on private or public land.

JULY 2021 • "We Are Coldwater"
The Coldwater High School Interact Club held a contest for the design and raised funds to pay for the painting of this mural that highlights iconic images from the area.

JUNE 2021 • "Honoring Albion Malleable Foundry Workers"
Prize-winning sketches from Albion College artists in the 1950s of the original Albion Malleable Foundry were artistically joined with images from today's Albion Malleable Brewery. 

JANUARY 2021  • Where's Waldo and Waving Dad cutouts
"Life size" MDO cutouts placed at my dad's house on Waldo Road in Williamston, MI

SEPTEMBER 2020 • "Spartan Stadium"
A fish-eye view of Spartan Stadium with a family-favorite play on the field they they are cheering on, as seen on the Jumbotron! 

JUNE 2020 • "Tree of Hope"
Garage door painted with a design meant to give hope during the dark days of the Covid-19 pandemic.

2020 SMALL ART PROJECTS
DECEMBER  • "First Home"
16" x 24" canvas painted in acrylics for a commission.
NOVEMBER  • Merry Mile Snow Family
4' x 8' plywood cutout of Snowman Family with face cutouts for photo op at the Merry Mile.
OCTOBER  • Rosemary Davis Realtors Lobby
Painted logo and State of Michigan graphic onto lobby walls.
SEPTEMBER  • "Love", "Honor", and "Cherish"
Three 18"X 24" canvases painted to show societal struggles that 2020 amplified.
AUGUST  • "Ice Cream Sundae"
3' X 4' canvas painted to match "Burger" painted in February
JULY  • "Bigfoot"
Painted fur and features on Bigfoot silhouette at my dad's house.
JULY  • "Awakening"
36"X 48" canvas. Previous ArtPrize piece, now with Awakening poem.
APRIL - JUNE  • Home Projects
Living room: Birch trees mural, blue ceiling, stained glass front door, custom curtains and light fixture. 
MARCH  • Cool Skelley
4"X 6" canvas painted for Marshall SkeletonFest.
FEBRUARY • "Ice Cream Dreams" and "Burger"
Two panels, each 3'x4', live painted during the GLIC-FFA Annual Convention at Kellogg Arena in downtown Battle Creek, sold at auction.
FEBRUARY •  "Marshall Dawn, Twinkling Lights"
16"X 48" canvas painted for the annual Oaklawn Benefit Auction.
FEBRUARY •  "Dawn at Marshall Fountain"
18"X 24" canvas painted for Scott Fleming's retirement.

SEPTEMBER 2019 • "Bee-loon"
Fiberglass balloon sculpture in Leila Arboretum's Kaleidoscope Garden, painted to look like a giant beehive.

SPRING 2019 (installed SEPT 16, 2019) • "Views of Koka City"
6 panels (4'x8') that were painted to honor Marshall's sister city in Japan, Koka City..

JUNE 2019 • "Splash Rainbows"
Based on a winning design from a local resident, Kimber painted kids playing in a colorful splash park at Heritage Park in Coldwater, MI.

MAY 2018 and MAY 2019 • "Cereal Mascot Windows"
Kimber worked with Youth Day of Caring participants (high schoolers from area schools) on these one-day painting projects. The first year students painted current cereal mascots, and the next year historic mascots on the windows of the Cereal History Exhibit.

AUG-SEPT 2018 • "America the Beautiful"
Located on the back of the Marshall VFW at 800 E. Michigan Ave in Marshall, this mural shows the iconic raising of the flag at Iwo Jima along with a beautiful sunset highlighting majestic purple mountains and amber waves of grain.

AUG 10-17 2018 • "Salute to the Military History of Battle Creek" 
As part of the Battle Creek Color the Creek mural festival, Kimber painted a mural on the east wall of The Hair Shed on Michigan Avenue in downtown Battle Creek between August 10-17th. This mural shows historic and current photos of military highlights from Battle Creek history, along with paragraphs explaining each photo painted below.

MAY-JULY 2018 • Athens "Portal to the Past" Mural
Based on an original painting by Michael Shawn Peck, this mural is located in the courtyard to the south of the Athens Historic Society building in downtown Athens, MI.

JUNE 2018 • Art Center of Battle Creek 
7 Decades of Art Show

MAY 2018 • Art Center of Battle Creek 
70 Years of Instruction Show

MAY 2018 • Spring into the Arts
Presented "Rock Musicians" at the CCVB offices.

OCTOBER 2017 • Fall into the Arts
Presented reproductions of her large works on canvas, bags, and pillows at the CCVB.

OCTOBER 2017 • Presented to The Network, a private group in Marshall about the Marshall mural.

SEPTEMBER 2017 - PRESENT • Battle Creek Society of Artists Presented to the group September 2017 on the process of painting murals.

JUNE 24 - JULY 23 2017 • "Marshall Vintage Postcard" mural • Grand Street Park, Marshall, MI
Fence is 7.5' tall and 38' wide, and painted with a horse and light carriage. Wall is 58' long and 26'tall, and painted with a Vintage Postcard theme. Grand Street Park grand opening celebration was held October 20, 2017.

​JUNE 2017 • "Kaleidoscope Garden" fence at Leila Arboretum
7.5' high by 268' long, painted with native Michigan flowers and the name of the garden. Presented the opportunity to come out and paint the base layer of this fence during the MAY 2017 "Spring into the Arts" in downtown Battle Creek. Community member from a few months old to senior citizens came out during one weekend to put their mark on the fence.

JANUARY - MARCH 2017  • "Signs of Hope"
A Changling Lab project where political signs were gathered and repainted with positive messages, in an effort to heal the division that took over America after the election.

2017 Private Commissions
​    September 2017 • "Iris"
    43" tall cement garden sculpture painted by Kimber
    Her dress is based on Van Gogh's "Iris" paintings.
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    June 2017 • Malia Mexican Restaurant sign
    June 2017 • Bison backdrop for wedding decoration
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    May 2017 • Lightbulb Window for Generation E Institute
    May 2017 • Changling Lab logo window
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    April 2017 • Birch tree forest walk (commissioned wedding gift)
    April 2017 • Brit Mary portrait

OCTOBER 2016 • Fall into the Arts
Displayed as Changling Lab.

SEPTEMBER 2016 • "Mid-Century Flowers"
6’ high by 42' long on sound panels, the client requested the classic mid-Century colors of champagne, grey, and rose-pink. 

JULY 2016 • "Paul and Babe"
13’ and 7’ high paintings of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Big Blue Ox that are part of Battle Creek's Fantasy Forest in Leila Arboretum, in Battle Creek, MI. Both trees are painted with images on both sides of the trees, so no matter which direction you are looking at them you will see the pair.

JUNE 2016 • "Where The Wild Things Are" Little Free Library
Kimber painted the inside and outside of a Little Free Library with the theme of Maurice Sendak's classic children's book "Where the wild things are". This LFL is now installed outside the Art Center of Battle Creek. 

MAY 2016 • "Michigan ROCKS!"
6'x6' square canvas painted with acrylic paints on used billboard vinyl, depicting 30 rock musicians that were born or raised in Michigan. This piece was displayed during Battle Creek's Spring into the Arts and was voted a Top 4 Favorite by popular public vote. This piece was also displayed during ArtPrize Eight at Swift Printing in Grand Rapids.

MARCH 2016 • "Great Minds" mural is 10’ x 13' mural featuring portraits and quotations from Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, and Madame Curie. Displayed at the Kingman Museum in Battle Creek.

OCTOBER 2015 • "Culture Bubbles" is a 6’ high x 180’ long wooden fence depicting a little girl’s bubbles that reflect the cultural diversity found in the Battle Creek community. This fence can be found at Woodlawn Preschool in Battle Creek, Michigan.

SEPTEMBER 2015 •  ArtPrize 2015 "RealiTV" was displayed at the Courtyard Marriott Downtown located at 11 Monroe NW. "RealiTV" is a super-large flat screen TV that shows an American flag at first glance, with stripes that are covered in over 1,000 images from television shows. For example, one stripe shows cartoons, from the very first one shown on television on the left, to shows on TV today on the right, with a timeline of images in the middle. Genres include reality TV shows, game shows, soap operas, kids tv shows, comedy, drama, science fiction, news, sports, and more! The union (the blue part of the flag) showcases the trophies given out to our "stars" for outstanding talents, and the stars themselves are taken from the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 

JUNE 2015 •  "Phoenix Rising from the Ashes" a sculpture created with Sabine LeDieu and George Crandall for Battle Creek's Fantasy Forest, located at Leila Arboretum. The tree trunk is painted in flames and the Phoenix is made of welded steel and covered in feathers made from former Firekeeper's Casino billboard material. The Phoenix rotates!

MAY 2015 •  "Stained Glass Flower Delivery" is located at Leila Arboretum in Battle Creek and was painted with the help of students from the Calhoun Community School as an end-of-the-year-project. 

2015 - 2019 • Changling Lab • Lead Painter
The Changling Lab turns one person’s trash (food flavor barrels, tires, old billboards) into thoughtful and beautiful treasures (painted rain barrels, accessible planters, moveable murals), with help from the public and whenever possible, under-served populations.

JANUARY 2015 •  "Battle Creek River Mural" is located on McCamly Street in downtown Battle Creek, between Michigan Avenue and the Battle Creek River. The mural covers up two doorways on a vacant building that were formerly covered with plywood, giving the downtown area a more pleasant appearance and a touch of summer all winter long. Unveiled during Battle Creek's OCTOBER 2014 Fall into the Arts.

SEPTEMBER 2013 •  "You Are What You Eat: The Veg Heads" a totem made of recycled tires featuring 3 drummers made of vegetables, drumming music that turns into good things to eat. This piece was installed at the Sprout Urban Farms BrightStar garden on Kendall Street in Battle Creek, but unfortunately was destroyed while on display.

MARCH 2013 •  "Opening New Worlds" is a life-sized campfire scene made of book sculptures and a papier-mâché campfire to promote literacy awareness. The installation continues to travel and be exhibited, both as a whole and in parts, to further this important community cause - literacy - through public art.  This installation highlighted March as Reading Awareness Month, and showcased multiple forms of literacy. It provided opportunities for diverse groups and individuals to sponsor, host and participate in myriad programs.  The exhibit provided community literacy resources, and also put the spotlight on reading, life skills, arts & culture, financial, health, technology, and workplace literacy at the Lakeview Square Mall (between Barnes & Noble and Dunham’s Sporting Goods) from March 15 through April 15, 2013. Kimber did the detail painting on the Culteral Totem (red and gold) - researching, designing and painting the pieces.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 •  ArtPrize 2011 "Artistic Apologies" was displayed at the Waters Building at 161 Ottawa Avenue NW. Due to severe back pain the piece intended for this show was unable to be completed on time. The artist sent her apologies via this self-portrait of a tree in pain, twisted unnaturally and yelling out... Or perhaps you see a diva on stage with bright spotlights and floodlights during a dramatic scene... Or maybe you see an individual about to be mowed down by oncoming traffic... ...? What do you see?

APRIL 2006 -­ MAY 2012 • EastEnd Studio & Gallery 
• Founding Member (artist)
• Artist Association President (1-2008 to 12-2010)
• Non-Profit Board of Directors (1-2007 to 5-2012)
         Vice-Chairman (1-2008 to 12-2011)
         Interim Treasurer (1-2010 to 6-2010)
         Secretary (1-2007 to 1-2008)
• This 501(c)(3) non-profit gallery strives to give artists and artisans the
skills and opportunities needed to reach their fullest potential. 

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 •  ArtPrize 2011 "AMERICA" was displayed at the Huntington Building at 50 Monroe Street. This freestanding outdoor mural measured 8-feet high and 20-feet long and portrayed (overall) a Lake Michigan beach scene, but was made up of hundreds of tiny painted pictures.These tiny pictures depicted how the artist chose to answer the question "What does it mean to be American?" - her answer was "our collective memory" which is made up of images from TV and movies, landmarks (such as the Grand Canyon and Fallingwater), people, toys, and historic events (like the shooting of JFK). 

MAY 2010 - June 2011 • MHS Community Pool Mural 
Lead Artist in creating this 465-square-foot mural which was installed at the community pool to wrap around the projected scoreboard during high school swim meets. Community volunteers from ages 3 to "70-ish" helped paint the "wave" portion of the mural. The (2)
4'x8' glass tile mosaic portions showing a swimmer and a diver were
designed, drawn and the majority of the production work was completed by Kimber Thompson. This was her first glass tile mosaic project.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010 •  ArtPrize 2010 
"PersonaliTREES" was displayed at the Huntington Building at 50 Monroe Street. This outdoor entry featuered 10 large canvases on   twisted metal stands collected into a "forest" - each canvas showed trees in human situations.

SUMMER 2010 • South Haven Art Center 
"Skins to Rims" Exhibitor, Juried Show

February 2010 & FEBRUARY 2011 • "A Stitch Apart" Fiber Art Competition
I was the Coordinator and Originator for these international competitions showcasing fiber arts.

JULY - SEPTEMBER 2009 • Zeitgeist09 International Art Competition
An online art competition where entries were displayed via electronic media in Soho Store galleries located in NYC, Frankfurt and Istanbul. My entry in charcoal, "White on Black" depicted a white man draped onto a black female model like he was her 'haute couture dress'. The piece was controversial and garnered much attention and comments during the show.

SUMMER 2007 • Calhoun County Arts & Industry Council Public Art Program Mural "Downtown Life" depicted in 5 panels
I had the pleasure of leading a group of artists and members of the
community (both artists and non-artists) in creating five murals depicting enlarged details from master works. The murals can be viewed (at least until the year 2017) at 115 W. Green Street, Marshall, MI.

FALL 2006 (outside) and JANUARY 2007 (inside) • Ann Arbor Art Center Off The Wall Gallery
Juried show. Created banners honoring Audrey Flack and Bridget Riley to hang in downtown Ann Arbor celebrating women artists from 1950 to 1980.

JANUARY 2006 -­ 2010 • Wednesday Night Lifers 
A group of juried adult artists who meet weekly to expand life drawing skills.

SEPTEMBER 2005 ­- APRIL 2006 • Creative Women Arts Guild  
Juried woman's art group with one group show each year.

1999 ­- 2001 • Marshall Friends of the Arts 
Co-creator and Artistic Director for "Art in Press", a arts newsletter

GRAPHIC DESIGN/MARKETING/EDUCATION

2013 - PRESENT • Marketing Manager
Calhoun County Visitors Bureau (2013 - Present)

1991 ­- 2013 • Graphic Designer
Printlink-Palmer (2001 to 2013), EPI Inc. (1998-2001), Standard Printing (1993-98), Guardian Fiberglass Inc (1991-93)

1998 - 2001 • Western Michigan University 
K-12 Art Teaching certification program: not completed

1994 • Kellogg Community College and 
1990 • Lansing Community College
Courses in 3D graphics & animation, and design

1991 • Michigan State University 
Bachelor of Science in Advertising; all elective classes in Studio Art

1987 • Williamston Public Schools K-12 • Graduated 10 Ten Senior
Independent Study in Art 1986 and 1987

1986 Grand Valley State College's Summer Art Institute  •  Learned plein air drawing techniques

1986 Central Michigan University • Girls State