There is no separation between art and life, motherhood and studio for artist and curator Kimia Kline. Born and raised in Nashville to Iranian refugee parents, Kimia’s early influences on her practice included a combination of outsider and folk art plus the Persian textiles that graced her family home.
Her work today is heavily influenced by those two sources, juxtaposing wood sculptures and carvings with paintings on delicate papyrus adorned with gemstones. In this episode we connect about Kimia’s curatorial practice, how she makes decisions in her studio, and the reality of her day to day as a caregiver with two young children. For Kimia, everything is studio and that means she has a practice of mining the inspiration that exists around her and keeps an open door for her kids to visit her backyard studio. Kimia is honest about her ability to focus on her practice with the help of an assembled team of support. She reminds us that even while we can’t always pursue our practice with as much energy as we’d like to, ultimately the pace does not matter. Our children’s childhood is fleeting and to be enjoyed now. In the end we all get to where we are going as artists and parents.
Final Five:
Art crush – Louise Bourgeois and/or Michaelangelo
Travel – Paris is a favorite, her dream trip is Egypt
Book – The Agony and the Ecstacy
Meal – Persian food of any kind
Shoutout – her husband Kenny Kline
Connect with Kimia via her instagram and view more of her work on her website!
The Artist/Mother podcast is created and hosted by Kaylan Buteyn.
Connect with Kaylan via her website or instagram or follow her substack here!
Apply to Artist Parent Exhibition + Residency opportunity (deadline 10/12/25)
https://www.kinhouseart.com/double-duty
