PA Wilds Artisan Spotlight: Lynn Kibbe
For Lycoming County scratchboard artist Lynn Kibbe, nature is more than just a beautiful backdrop for her work: it’s her primary subject matter and one of her greatest passions.
“I particularly like to depict animals and nature in my artwork as they are my passion,” Kibbe explained. “Like many artists, I want to bring awareness to others about animal life and that we need to respect and protect them so they are here for our children’s children to love.”
Kibbe credits her parents with helping to instill within her a love for art; however, it was a friend’s artwork that inspired her to create her first painting.
Raised in the Salladasburg area, Kibbe attended Jersey Shore High School and left the area to join the military following graduation. She served 10 years in the U.S. Air Force (her husband, Myrl, served 24), and returned to Lycoming County in 2005 to settle down in rural Trout Run.
Kibbe, starting work in the secretarial field, went on to work as a paralegal and as a civil servant. In 2010, Kibbe decided to make her passion her full-time career, and she now spends most of her days working at Foggy Mountain Studio, located on the couple’s 106-acre property.
She has found it to be enjoyable making art in the Pennsylvania Wilds because it gives her an opportunity to express her pride in the region, the local connections to nature and the residents’ slow-paced and authentic way of life.
Largely self-taught in her craft over the course of 25 years, Kibbe also studied under local artists and remotely as she has worked to refine her skills. She has enjoyed working in many mediums, including oil, acrylics and watercolors.
Most recently, Kibbe has been focusing her energies on her scratchboard art. “With each piece taking anywhere from two weeks to several months to create, it doesn’t leave a lot of time for the other mediums,” she said.
Scratchboard art is made from direct engraving with a knife tip (as well as other tools) and the image is produced through a deductive method. The artist scratches off the dark ink layer to reveal the white kaolin clay beneath, leaving areas of black ink to create shadows (drawing in reverse with no chance of erasing). Many layers of scratching are needed to create tonal effects. Color is then added after the image is entirely scratched out as a stand-alone black/white image. Then many layers of color are added with a scratching layer in-between each one for blending. Coloring a scratchboard adds twice the amount of work and time.
Kibbe, who admitted she has found some difficulty prospering in the rural PA art scene, joined the Wilds Cooperative of Pennsylvania in 2015, seeking out a network of artisans and galleries.
“I chose to become a member because of its authenticity to Pennsylvania artisans and because the goal is to provide jobs and draw tourism to this great state,” Kibbe explained. “As an artist, the Wilds Cooperative of Pennsylvania allows me to connect with gallery members where I have an opportunity to sell my original artwork or art products that I would not have otherwise known about.”
In addition to being a member of the Wilds Cooperative, Kibbe is also a member of the International Society of Scratchboard Artists and the Clinton County Arts Council. Kibbe offers commission work and exhibits in gallery settings and fairs.
Learn more about Lynn Kibbe and her artwork at http://lynnkibbefineart.weebly.com.
View her Wilds Cooperative of PA member profile: http://wildscopa.org/Sys/PublicProfile/27849596/3733480