Glacier Collection
March 25, 2020
The feeling of ice-cold water on your bare skin.
The deafening roar of waterfalls.
The depth and power of rushing water.
The pristine clarity of mountain streams.
The serenity of being out in nature and surrounded by nothing but water, mountains, and trees.
This has been my inspiration for the Glacier Collection—to fill your home with that same refreshing energy that I felt while hiking the wilderness of Glacier National Park in northern Montana.
The imagery and inspiration behind the collection has remained constant. I’ve been channeling the big, open skies and pristine, glass-like lakes and the grandiose mountains that make this park special.
And initially, a love of nature and my desire to capture how it feels to be out in it—and to help preserve the life-giving natural beauty of our planet—was all that this collection was about. If you read my March “letter from the studio,” then you know that I planned on donating10% of sales to the Environmental Defense Fund in support of my great love and inspiration source.
I sent that email on March 9. Needless to say, a lot has happened since then.
Nature has certainly remained a respite for me as I’ve dealt with this once-in-a-generation pandemic that we’re living in. I’ve spent so much time just sitting on my porch, soaking up sunshine while listening to birds chirp as small gusts of wind kiss my skin.
But do you know what else has provided me with a tremendous amount of solace and perspective during this surreal and difficult time? Art. Both my own and that of others.
These paintings have reminded me of the tremendous amount of beauty that comes from hard things. You layer. You scrape. You wipe away. You start over. You keep going and begin layering some more. And eventually, you get there. The middle can be hard, but every stroke matters and gives beauty to the whole—even if you can’t see it yet.
This message is a big reason why I decided to continue with the release of this collection this week—because it’s something we all need to hear right now.
If you’re like me, you’re afraid. You’re anxious. You’re hurting.
And as much of a “homebody” or an introvert that I like to think that I am, these last few weeks have been hard. And they’ve shown me that connection matters. We all need the community and company of others, even the most introverted among us.
Whether you decide to welcome one of these paintings into your home or not, I want you to know: You are not alone. We will make it through this together.
The Glacier Collection—it started from a place of love, and it is being released from a place of love, albeit love under different circumstances.
Namely, I hope this collection reminds you of three things:
You are not alone. Most of my paintings are raw, and the more raw the painting, the more drawn to it that people seem to be. Why is that? I think it’s because we are all connected by our hardships. When we experience hard things, we come out on the other side changed. We become more resilient. And when we feel this raw pain from others, we also change. Because we’re reminded that we’re not alone, and if others can make it through, so can we. Raw art is especially beautiful because it connects us.
Beauty comes from hard and uncertain things. Painting is hard. Climbing mountains is hard. But gosh, the beauty of those final destinations. The journey getting there can be so unpredictable and tough, but the only way there is through. Some beauty can only be reached by foot, just as some beauty can only come from mess and hardship. I hope these paintings remind you of that hard-sewn beauty.
Life isn’t flat, and no valley or climb lasts forever. Through the Glacier Collection, I’ve been thinking a lot about mountains. I’ve been thinking about how the earth naturally ebbs and flows from peaks to valleys—and how going through a valley is hard, but it makes you so much more aware and grateful for the peaks. And also, no valley lasts forever. Our peak is coming. We just have to be patient for it.
I hope these paintings empower you and encourage you as we navigate this valley together.
The Details
// The Glacier Collection will be released on my website Monday, March 30 at 8pm Central Time. Email subscribers get early access and first dibs on Thursday, March 26. Get early access here.
// Sizes range from 5x7 inches to 24x30 inches; prices range from $60 to $600. Preview the full collection of paintings above, which are arranged from largest to smallest.
// Paintings are mostly works on canvas with a few works on paper. Detailed information about each painting will be included in each listing.
// 10% of each sale will go to No Kid Hungry, a national nonprofit helping to combat childhood hunger. You’ll notice that this has changed from the Environmental Defense Fund. That’s because—while I love nature and do eventually want to use my business to protect our planet—I recognize that there are more immediate needs right now.
As a former teacher, I know first-hand the importance of school meals, and my heart breaks for children who depend on those when so many schools are closed right now. No Kid Hungry is working with the hardest-hit communities nationwide to ensure that kids are fed through their schools or local food banks. Learn more about the work of No Kid Hungry here.
Questions about the collection or individual paintings? Please email me at stephaniekirklandart@gmail.com, and I’ll get back to you with answers as soon as possible!
