Artists Collective | Spartanburg will present Out of Context: Pictures from 1000 Words, a mixed media exhibition by Christine Kminek, opening Nov 1, 2026, in Gallery III.
A reception will be held during ArtWalk.
Filled with vivid color, intricate details, unexpected humor and storybook-like imagery, Out of Context offers visitors a glimpse into what Kminek describes as a hyperactive imagination. The exhibition will feature approximately 20 – 24 works created over the past two years.
“Each painting is its own little room created while forgetting the reason for walking into one in the real world,” Kminek says.
The inspiration for the exhibition began with something ordinary: old magazines.
While harvesting discarded print materials for use in her mixed media work, Kminek found herself becoming just as fascinated by the words on the pages as by the images. A recipe, headline, article title or stray sentence could send her imagination somewhere completely unrelated to its original meaning.
“A simple quote accompanying a recipe might spark my imagination in directions that have nothing to do with baking,” she says. “Mismatched phrases and article titles combine in unexpected ways that beg to come to life.”
Those fragments became the starting points for the works in Out of Context.
The resulting paintings are dreamy, absurd and whimsical, but they are not always lighthearted. Some carry a dark sense of humor, while others resemble illustrations pulled from an unusual storybook. Acrylic and oil paint mingle with discarded print materials and fabrics in compositions packed with small discoveries.
Visitors will also be invited to participate in the imaginative process. The clipped phrases that inspired the artwork will be displayed separately, allowing viewers to guess which phrase inspired which painting.
Kminek hopes the interactive element encourages visitors to leave linear thinking behind for a while.
“In our very serious world of fine print, signs, lists, information and words, words, words, we’re not all inclined to rigid, linear thought,” she says.
For Kminek, imagination is not simply a tool for making art. It is an essential release.
“If you don’t let your imagination play, it becomes anxiety,” she says.
She hopes visitors will slow down, explore the details and allow themselves to wander mentally through the exhibition.
“If anyone has ever wondered what the inattentive classmate was thinking about, this exhibit gives them a small taste,” Kminek says. “I hope visitors are able to lose themselves in the details as I did and escape into a daydream for a little while.”
About the Artist
Christine Kminek finds inspiration in the everyday minutiae of life, transforming familiar objects, discarded materials and fragments of language into colorful, imaginative mixed media works.
“My work is the product of a childlike imagination, an obsessive dedication to detail and a whimsical twist on the otherwise mundane,” she says.
Using acrylic and oil paint alongside discarded print materials and fabrics, Kminek creates what she describes as a “mad lib style” of art. Her goal is to make work that is thought-provoking while remaining colorful, approachable and capable of creating a moment of connection.
“I want my work to bring a smile, nostalgia, renewed whimsy or a feeling of connection to everyone,” she says.
Kminek was born in New Jersey to a large, boisterous extended family and moved to South Carolina in her early teens. She earned a degree in Early Childhood Development and spent many years working with programs through the Middle Tyger Community Center and SC First Steps.
A self-taught artist, Kminek developed her skills over years of working with young children and being surrounded by the imaginations of her own family. She entered her first work into a juried exhibition in 2017 and has continued sharing her artwork throughout Spartanburg.
Her work has appeared in three Artists Collective | Spartanburg juried exhibitions, including a second-place award for Trapped Gas in 2022. She also recently earned first place in the Artists Guild of Spartanburg’s 53rd Juried Show.
Kminek has been a member of Artists Collective | Spartanburg since December 2024.
“Sharing your art can be intimidating, but the members of ACS included me so quickly and warmly I always feel encouraged,” she says. “It’s been a profound pleasure getting to know each artist in our eclectic community.”
Kminek lives in Boiling Springs with her husband, six children, three rescue dogs, one cat and what she describes as “a faithful following of well-fed backyard squirrels.”
Learn more about Christine Kminek and her work at chrissykart.com.