FASHION
MEET
Fine artist Karen
Kimmel, 43, creator of The Ait
of Exchange workshops, and
designer of a line of children’s
educational toys and tools
called Kimmel Kids
HER WORKSHOPS
“The
name The Art of Exchange’
came out of wanting to dispel
the idea of T’m the artist, you’re
the student.’ Instead, the idea is
that I bring something, and you
bring something—the teacher
is also the student.”
ART SCHOOLED
“Art is so
necessary for children, because
it keeps them in the creative
process. The kid-friendly
abstract stencils I’ve designed
[on wall behind Karen]
came out
of workshops with adults with
disabilities. For some people,
it’s easier to be handed a tool
that acts as a starting point than
a blank piece of paper.”
OUTSIDE THE STUDIO
“Even
while living in Los Angeles, I
can be hiking in ten minutes
with my husband, James Bond
(yes, that’s his real name!) or
spend the day at a park or at the
beach with my kids, Jersey, 8,
and Ace, 3.”
HER STYLE
“My taste leans
minimal, clean, and—on a good
day—elegant. But I spend more
time simply appreciating
avant-garde designers than
buying trendy items. Shoes,
for example, I appreciate as
sculpture.”
“Creativity isn’t
iust reserved
s
for artists:
it’s som ething
everyone can
access. H elping
people tap mto
th at is one
o f the m ost
M IXED MEDIA
Think like an
artiste,
and
shake up traditional styles: This shealth gets
edgier with built-in gunmetal chain detailing,
and a drapey necklace unexpectedly borrows
jersey fabric to create its loops. Satin dress
with chain detail on sleeve, Kenneth Cole, $199;
at KCNY retail stores. Mixed media necklace,
mhaskell, $40; 212^764-3332 to order. Thick
wooden bangle, RJ. Graziano, $115; 21^685-1248
to order. Jennings zip-back pump, MICHAEL
Michael Kors, $165 866/709- 5677 for locations.
Seidenglatt 70 tights, Falke, $38; herroom.com
SEPTEMBER 2 0 1 0
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
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