Artist Bio – Kimberly Koltcz
Kimberly Koltcz is a graphic designer and multidisciplinary artist based in New Mexico. Originally from Allentown, Pennsylvania, she is a U.S. veteran. Kimberly spent many years raising her two children and caring for a lively household of dogs alongside her husband, with whom she has shared life since 2002.
After an 18-year hiatus from artmaking, she returned to her creative practice in 2016 to process and heal from a series of personal traumas. This reconnection with art became both therapeutic and transformative, reigniting a lifelong creative spark.
Today, Kimberly embraces art as a powerful means of healing and self-reflection. Working under the studio name Art Cathartic, she channels her belief in the transformative, emotional force of creative expression. Her work delves into themes of resilience, identity, memory, and the profound relationship between personal history and visual storytelling. She is passionate about challenging perspectives and often creates socially charged pieces that provoke thought and invite dialogue.
Artist Statement – Kimberly Koltcz
Some things can’t be talked out—especially when you’re raised to stay silent. Some things I never learned how to say. Others run too deep for language, or words simply aren’t strong enough to hold them. This is often where my art begins.
Art has become a way for me to externalize thoughts and emotions that once remained sealed inside. Through making, I’ve found a way to process trauma and communicate with the world in a language that feels truer than words. Therapy is powerful—art can be even more so for me.
I still don’t know exactly where I fit in this world, and I’ve made peace with that. That uncertainty has become a creative strength. Because I don’t feel bound to a particular place or definition, I move freely through styles, aesthetics, and materials. I’m learning to play without fear—without the pressure of being “good enough.”
My practice includes clay, ink, paint, graphite, charcoal, metal, and paper—and I’m constantly seeking new materials and techniques. I have no desire to confine myself to one medium or a matching body of work. Instead, I embrace experimentation as a form of self-discovery, exploration, and healing. My work doesn’t always offer answers, but it’s how I continue asking the questions and finding myself.