Kim Case, a longtime Portland Art Gallery artist, returns to Radio Maine to reflect on the evolution of her painting practice and her deepening exploration of abstraction. Trained in photography and art history at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and Tufts, Case began with a focus on realism but has increasingly embraced abstraction as a way to express emotion, energy, and the subtle presence of human experience in nature.

In this conversation, she shares how life changes—from raising a teenage son to adapting to new studio spaces—have shaped both her process and perspective. Case discusses the importance of light, discipline, and treating art as a professional practice, while also trusting intuition through the highs and lows of creation. Her work, rooted in New England landscapes, now pushes toward a more expressive, vibrant visual language.