I took a painting class this summer with fellow painter Laura Borneman, held at Bartram’s Garden in southwest Philadelphia. Laura pushed me to work larger and encouraged me to think about mark-making and paint texture. I am very happy with the progress I made in her class.

I posted some of the paintings on my MySpace blog and my father emailed me some questions about how I work.

JK: I was very pleased and impressed to hear that you were taking a class as a way to push yourself. I am so pleased to see you continuing to pursue your special talent and to see such impressive progress. I have always felt that I had a range of abilities but seemed to lack the discipline or interest to focus on one or two things in order to really become good at it. Somehow, you have gone beyond this limitation.

KKM: As to stick-to-itiveness, there are many times I could have stopped painting, and sometimes I wish that I would have or could have stopped. If I don’t have a chance to be creative I get agitated and upset, often I don't even realize it until I go to make art again. Life would be a lot easier if I did not have to make art. I think because both Jim and I are doing this and trying to make it [as artists]. It makes it less discouraging.

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