ST. GEORGE —From indoor and outdoor murals to symbolic paintings of trauma and loss, this artist is showing that being both a mom and an artist is more than possible.
“I honestly think art is not even an outlet for me,” Kimberly Ipson said. “It’s more just my life.”
After one semester of college in pursuit of a degree in elementary education, Ipson found herself missing art. Despite being told art should be a hobby and not a career, she decided to switch her major to art education. And she said it’s been the best decision.
“I’ve always loved art,” Ipson said. “Which is so funny, because I have four brothers and one is a doctor, two lawyers and one is getting his MBA and I’m just a little artist.”
After college, she became an art teacher and took on commissioned art on the side. One day, she took her students to compete in a local chalk art festival. When she found out there was a spot open, she jumped at the chance to compete herself, creating a 10-by-10-foot chalk art entry. She’s gone back every year since. This year, she drew a Lord of the Rings piece and was a featured artist.
But she isn’t just an artist. She’s also a mom. And while her road to motherhood may look different than some, she said it’s been the biggest blessing of her life and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Her two children, 3-year-old Todd and 2-year-old Sally were both adopted at birth. Ipson said she had eight days’ notice before she adopted her son. A year later, she received an unexpected phone call from the same birth mom. Feeling ill, the mom went to the hospital and unexpectedly found out she was pregnant. She had a baby girl three weeks later.
“We had two kids within a year of each other,” she said. “And both of them — we had no idea they were coming. They are the biggest miracles of my life. They’re crazy and so fun.”
Initially stressed about being a full-time mom and an artist, she decided to lean in and include her children in the process of creation. Including her kids in her art means that her home murals have fingerprints and small designs by them. And she loves it just as much as they do.
Ipson’s commissioned work includes portraits based on provided images. Her mural career started after others saw her work in her home and begged her to do theirs. Some of her indoor mural work has included a Hogwarts nursery, a Harry Potter room and a comic-style Batman mural.
As word spread about her home murals, she was asked to paint murals for local hospitals. One of her murals can be seen inside the San Juan Regional Medical Hospital, which features an outdoor scene with trees, bugs and more. At the same hospital, an outdoor mural at the pool parking lot features an underwater submarine scene.
“The pieces I’ve had in galleries are these really funky houses,” she said, pointing to a painting on her wall. “If I am left with a paintbrush and paint, that’s what I will create.”
Each house painting comes with different meanings that are close to her heart. During the 2020 election, Ipson said she was ready to pull her hair out watching the world become angry at everything. With a desire to watch the world slow down, she created an art piece titled, “Stay in Your Lane,” to show that people with varying belief systems can coexist.
Another painting with houses stems from a traumatic experience. After losing one of her best friends to a sledding accident when she was 17, she found herself in a depressed state, unable to relate to those around her.
“My 17-year-old self was just slipping into this dark, dark hole,” she said. “Everyone said she was in a better place and she was fine, that she was good. But here I was and I wasn’t OK.”
It was through painting the piece that she was able to express her grief, she said.
Originally from Northern Utah, she and her family moved to New Mexico for two years before moving to St. George six months ago. Indoor murals can be seen throughout her St. George home, and she is currently working on a commissioned dinosaur-themed nursery. New to the area, she said she hopes to spread her art throughout Washington County and beyond while immersing herself in the local art community.
“I’m pretty open to any project,” she said. “I love painting on home walls. I love doing large-scale outdoor murals. I love doing homes, I love doing businesses, just all of it.”
For more information, including available artwork and commissions, follow @kimberlyipson.art on Instagram or email [email protected]
Photo Gallery
Artwork by Kimberly Ipson is on display, location date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Kimberly Ipson, St. George News
“Single Blue Line” by Kimberly Ipson depicts her struggles with infertility, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Kimberly Ipson, St. George News
“Single Blue Line” by Kimberly Ipson depicts her struggles with infertility, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Kimberly Ipson, St. George News
Chalk art by Kimberly Ipson is on display at a chalk art festival in Provo, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Kimberly Ipson, St. George News
Kimberly Ipson sits next to her Stranger Things chalk art during a chalk art festival in Provo, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Kimberly Ipson, St. George News
Kimberly Ipson stands next to Lord of the Rings chalk art piece, Provo, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Kimberly Ipson, St. George News
A mural by Kimberly Ipson features flowers, St. George, Utah, Dec. 5, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Artwork by Kimberly Ipson hangs in the center of framed family photos, St. George, Utah, Dec. 5, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Artwork by Kimberly Ipson hangs inside her home in St. George, Utah, Dec. 5, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Artwork by Kimberly Ipson is on display, location date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Kimberly Ipson, St. George News
Artwork by Kimberly Ipson hangs inside her home in St. George, Utah, Dec. 5, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Artwork by Kimberly Ipson is pictured, location date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Kimberly Ipson, St. George News
Kimberly Ipson holds her son next to her painting, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Kimberly Ipson, St. George News
Kimberly Ipson hugs her two children inside her home in St. George, Utah, Dec. 5, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Kimberly Ipson’s son stands next to a painting on his bedroom in St. George, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Kimberly Ipson, St. George News
Artwork by Kimberly Ipson is on display inside her home in St. George, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Kimberly Ipson, St. George News
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