A native of Indiana, Kim Sobat moved to the North Carolina’s Sandhills in 1993 and knew right away she had found the place that she wanted to call home. She currently resides in Southern Pines and is constantly finding artistic inspiration in the town’s tree-lined streets, parks and quaint storefronts.
Kim Culver Sobat grew up surrounded by an artistic family, including her mother, father and grandfather who was a commercial artist, gifted painter and illustrator. Kim has acquired fundamental skills from Herron School of Art and Design (Indianapolis, IN), the Art League of Indianapolis, Indiana University, Cape Fear Studios (Fayetteville), and the Artists League of the Sandhills. In the early 1990’s, Kim took an art class which reignited her interest in art. After marrying her high school sweetheart and moving to Fairbanks, Alaska, Kim’s preferred medium became oil for its rich pigments and smooth texture.
Soon after being reassigned to Fort Bragg, NC, Kim found a new outlet in digital art while caring for her twins. Kim returned to school to develop this new medium where her interest in computer graphics grew to include web design. While she enjoyed computer work, she missed the grassroots satisfaction of creating art with her hands, so she enrolled in a painting class at a local art studio, again refining her talents.
After a move to Southern Pines, NC in 2006, Kim joined the Artists League of the Sandhills, where she took several painting classes, focusing on Southern Pines’ charming townscapes, and even completed several commissioned pieces. Kim opened the Vineland Fine Art Gallery in downtown Southern Pines, where she featured a dozen other local artists as well her own work. Location problems and market conditions have resulted in the closing of the gallery, but have allowed more time for Kim's oil painting.
Kim recently created a new program under the Arts Council of Moore County called, "ArtSmart". This is an after school art program for youth ages 8-18. Classes are held in the Belvedere Plaza in downtown Southern Pines. Kim is the Program Director for ArtSmart.
Kim's work is often inspired by nature. She generally employs a colorful palette and her more recent works are abstracts.
Kim is married and has twin 16 year old children. Her family has been very supportive in her artistic pursuits. When not painting, Kim’s other interests are antiques, traveling, volunteering, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
Kim is a member of the Arts Council of Moore County and the Southern Pines Civic Club.
