Rock on; it's Rocktober

By Cathy Pelletier

Thorold News

Kim Overholt's passion for music, magic, and making art is so contagious, anyone who stands within a close range can practically feel it oozing out of the multi-talented local artist's pores and outward onto the canvas.

Last spring, she completed a 15-day tour as a magician's assistant and occasionally, the charismatic Thorold resident assumes the zany, comedic persona of her alter-ego, Kimmie the Clown.

"Gonna turn that frown upside down," she sings, doing a dance to demonstrate her animated personality.

Overholt's enthusiasm for art has inspired "Rocktober," a month-long creative fusion of fun, art and music at the Quebec Bank Heritage Art Gallery, starting Saturday.

"This Saturday, I'll be here around 8 p.m., doing some live music and painting."

Throughout the month, she plans to host live art demos in a public-friendly format, displaying her unique music-inspired artistry in fast-paced, on-the-spot action.

"I'll have a few black canvases and we'll have music going and I'll try to do as many portraits as I can," she explained. "I'll spread some dropcloths and just attack my canvas. I also teach people how to paint landscapes, seascapes, still-lifes and florals at Michael's (Craft Store), so I'll be doing some of that, too."

The whole art attack concept began with Stevie Ray Vaughan, she recalls. "I started listening to his music, and I just go."

The next thing she knew, she'd created a stunning, colourful portrait of the late blues/rock icon.

Several more portraits flowed from her paintbrush while cranking up the tunes of Bob Marley, The Doors and Led Zeppelin.

"I grew up listening to 70s music," she says. "My Jimmy Page went to Florida, my Jimi Hendrix to Texas," and Overholt was also commissioned to paint an oversized Stevie Ray Vaughan for an avid fan in Austin, Texas. She's painted more than one John Lennon portrait, with orders for the legendary Beatle usually coming in around Christmas and the anniversary of his death.

For her next projects, "I'm thinking of doing an AC-DC and RUSH," she says.

Overholt plans to take advantage of the upcoming Canal Bank Shuffle (Oct. 20 to 22) to display a wide variety of blues artists at the Gallery, and says she'll gladly accept commissions for specific musicians or loved ones throughout the month of Rocktober.

Because she's a magic buff, Overholt has created "at least three Harry Houdinis" on canvas.

Soon, both music and art-lovers will be able to browse her website (www.kimoverholt.com) and purchase her original artwork, as well as watch instructional videos on how to paint.

"On Mondays I teach cartooning for kids, but now that they're back at school, I'm thinking of moving it to Saturday mornings for all ages," she says, adding, "I'd like to get some of the teens out" to try it.

On Wednesday nights in October, she invites all aspiring creative types to come in and "play," performing Improv skits, starting at 8 p.m. With many talents and magical tricks up her sleeve, and Halloween falling within the colourful month of Rocktober, she may be doing children's face-painting or a haunted zombie house at the Gallery, though plans for the gruesome holiday haven't been finalized yet.