ABSTRACTED DISTRACTIONS: teetering between here and gone
Kimberly Flynn (born in Cambridge, MA, 1985) began photographing at the age of sixteen when she used her first paycheck from the local movie theater to purchase a 35 mm film camera, a Canon EOS Rebel G. A camera that never left her side the rest of high school to which she was compelled to document everything from nature to the people in her life at the time. As life progressed so did the need to provide a living and take care of others and while photography may have taken a backseat she always found her way back to it. The images that light Kimberly up most are not only the beauty of nature but the ones of people who appear to be looking right through you. Heavily inspired by photographer Nan Goldin, Kimberly’s favorite images to produce are of what is and who is around her living real life, which sometimes mirrors the sadness that engulfs many of us. ABSTRACTED DISTRACTIONS: teetering between here and gone is a collection of those images over the past twenty years
Kimberly Flynn (born in Cambridge, MA, 1985) began photographing at the age of sixteen when she used her first paycheck from the local movie theater to purchase a 35 mm film camera, a Canon EOS Rebel G. A camera that never left her side the rest of high school to which she was compelled to document everything from nature to the people in her life at the time. As life progressed so did the need to provide a living and take care of others and while photography may have taken a backseat she always found her way back to it. The images that light Kimberly up most are not only the beauty of nature but the ones of people who appear to be looking right through you. Heavily inspired by photographer Nan Goldin, Kimberly’s favorite images to produce are of what is and who is around her living real life, which sometimes mirrors the sadness that engulfs many of us.
ABSTRACTED DISTRACTIONS: teetering between here and gone
is a collection of those images over the past twenty years
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ABSTRACTED DISTRACTIONS:
t e e t e r i n g b e t w e e n h e r e a n d g o n e
K I M B E R L Y F L Y N N
ABSTRACTED DISTRACTIONS:
t e e t e r i n g b e t w e e n h e r e a n d g o n e
ABSTRACTED DISTRACTIONS:
t e e t e r i n g b e t w e e n h e r e a n d g o n e
K I M B E R L Y F L Y N N
S t a r l i g h t P u b l i s h i n g
This edition first published in 2022 by
Starlight Publishing
https://www.starlightartconsultancy.com/starlight-publishing
Copyright © 2022 Kimberly Flynn
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and
retrieval system, without permission in writing from Starlight Publishing.
For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Kimberly Flynn at
Hello@StarlightArtConsultancy.com
Starlight Publishing can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event, contact
Kimberly Flynn at Hello@StarlightArtConsultancy.com
ISBN: 979-8-218-00921-2
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available upon request
Cover design by Kimberly Flynn
Author photograph on back cover by Kimberly Flynn
Edited by Kimberly Flynn
Dedication
This book is dedicated to every artist who has ever not felt like a “real” artist.
Keep going you are meant to create.
Introduction
Maybe art or being an artist isn't what is produced, maybe it's the action, thought and emotion before, during, and after.
While I appreciate the teaching of art, I did at times find the rules of photography to be suffocating and discouraging as a
young artist. I had felt my images weren’t pretty enough for the commercial wedding photography industry and not gritty
enough to be world-changing documentary photography. So, where did I fit in? I’ve had tens of thousands of images from
digital prints to color and black and white prints that I loved that have sat hidden in a box under the bed that have
survived devastating floods to traveling over state lines. I always thought I had to be working on one project for it to be
successful to which I would feel defeated after looking at them too long and not wanting to share or be criticized. As I
look through twenty years of images, I can now see that it isn’t one project, but a series that have common themes. Those
of nature are lonely and still and those of people tend to show emotion with a direct view into their life at that moment
within their eyes. I love that I can look at all these images taken so many years apart and see connections and themes.
Creating this book has been a therapeutic way to process some strong emotions connected to those people within the
images and with the nature images I relive and process the sadness and aloneness that was engulfing me. I wish I could
say that I can look at them and not feel that sadness and depression, but I can’t. I can however let the joy of creating this
project sit side by side with the other feelings. Those emotions are allowed to cohabitate.
I See You I, Warwick, Rhode Island, 2004
I See You II, Warwick, Rhode Island, 2004
Providence Street I, West Warwick, Rhode Island, 2005
Providence Street II, West Warwick, Rhode Island, 2005
Providence Street III, West Warwick, Rhode Island, 2005
Diamond Hill Road, Warwick, Rhode Island, 2002
Davidson Street, Warwick, Rhode Island, 2006
Topsail Island, Wilmington, North Carolina, 2008
Webster, Warwick Neck, Rhode Island, 2015
Goddard Park, East Greenwich, Rhode Island, 2005
Brigham Hill Road, Attleboro, Massachusetts, 2016
Nursing Home, Salem, Massachusetts, 2009
Tango, Attleboro, Massachusetts, 2016
Quidnessett, North Kingstown, Rhode Island, 2007
Christian Science Plaza, Boston, Massachusetts, 2005
Same, Mystic, Connecticut, 2013
Weightless I, San Diego, California, 2014
Weightless II, San Diego, California, 2014
Sister, Warwick, Rhode Island, 2006
Grandma's Chair, West Warwick, Rhode Island, 2007
The End, West Warwick, Rhode Island, 2005
Kure Beach, Wilmington, North Carolina, 2007
Alone, Attleboro, Massachusetts, 2017
Only One, Attleboro, Massachusetts, 2016
It can be deceiving, Warwick, Rhode Island, 2007
False Start, Willcox, Arizona, 2015
By Oneself, Attleboro, Massachusetts, 2016
On One's Own, Attleboro, Massachusetts, 2008
Bewildered, Maine, 2007
Downhearted, Warwick, Rhode Island, 2007
Fresh Start I, Maricopa, Arizona, 2015
Fresh Start II, Benson, Arizona, 2015
Almost There, Winterhaven, California, 2015
She's trading her buick for a white Chrysler LeBaron, Warwick, Rhode Island, 2005
Wrightsville Beach, Wilmington, North Carolina, 2008
Starlight I, Attleboro, Massachusetts, 2016
Starlight II, Attleboro, Massachusetts, 2016
Starlight III, Attleboro, Massachusetts, 2016
Frances Avenue, Cranston, Rhode Island, 2007
Olympus Fenwick, Savannah, Georgia, 2018
Hidden in the House, Attleboro, Massachusetts, 2017
Breakheart Pond, Exeter, Rhode Island, 2007
Apponaug Cove I, Warwick, Rhode Island, 2006
Apponaug Cove II, Warwick, Rhode Island, 2006
Dinner For One, Warwick, Rhode Island, 2006
Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, 2007
Take me to the cherry blossoms, Washington, D.C., 2009
Roger Williams Park, Cranston, Rhode Island, 2005
AS220, Providence, Rhode Island, 2006
Alone in the basement, Warwick, Rhode Island, 2007
Pender County I, Burgaw, North Carolina, 2009
Pender County II, Burgaw, North Carolina, 2008
Pender County III, Burgaw, North Carolina, 2008
Airport Road I, Warwick, Rhode Island, 2007
Airport Road II, Warwick, Rhode Island, 2007
Tracey, Warwick, Rhode Island, 2007
Patty, Cranston, Rhode Island, 2007
Kimberly, Washington, D.C., 2009
External, West Warwick, Rhode Island, 2007
Acknowledgements
When I think about who helped to guide me to art and nurture my interest in
photography, I think of my high school art teacher. She was only in her early
twenties which I thought was so much older than me at the time. Thank you for
inspiring me, writing me notes to get out of gym, and bringing me a chai in the
middle of the day.
About the Author
Kimberly Flynn is a leader whose goal is to inspire artists to see their full potential and put
it to use. She wants every creator to realize that they already have everything they need
inside of them to thrive as an artist. Originally from the New England area, Kimberly
relocated to mossy Savannah, Georgia five years ago and couldn't have asked for a more
welcoming place to call home. As someone with over 15 years of art and business experience,
she offers artists helpful tools that give their art business both heart and structure. Kimberly
is the founder of Starlight Art Consultancy and the author of Businify Your Art Life. She also
serves as board treasurer for local art non-profit ARTS Southeast whose mission is to make
Savannah a destination for art and culture in the Southeast by supporting established and
emerging artists and engaging a diverse community with creative programming by
developing awareness and appreciation of the arts.
Kimberly Flynn (born in Cambridge, MA, 1985) began
photographing at the age of sixteen when she used her first
paycheck from the local movie theater to purchase a 35 mm
film camera, a Canon EOS Rebel G. A camera that never left
her side the rest of high school to which she was compelled to
document everything from nature to the people in her life at
the time. As life progressed so did the need to provide a living
and take care of others and while photography may have
taken a backseat she always found her way back to it. The
images that light Kimberly up most are not only the beauty of
nature but the ones of people who appear to be looking right
through you. Heavily inspired by photographer Nan Goldin,
Kimberly’s favorite images to produce are of what is and who
is around her living real life, which sometimes mirrors the
sadness that engulfs many of us.
ABSTRACTED DISTRACTIONS:
teetering between here and gone
is a collection of those images over the past twenty years.
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