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Kest Fine Art

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Sigil Paintings

January 26, 2026

During the latter part of this year, I embarked on several new works that seemed to come out of nowhere, sigil paintings rooted in apotropaic symbolism and the Eye of Providence.

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In Field Natural History, Botanical art, Fantasy art Tags insects, cicada, beetles, bees, honey, eye of providence, apotropaic art, sacred geometry, magic, science art, spell-painting, Hilma af Klint, Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, Jungian Archetypes
1 Comment

The cover for S-S-snakes! was done in oil on heavy Arches paper (gessoed). Here it is, having arrived safely after shipping.

S-S-snakes

December 31, 2025

Recently sold cover art for a children’s science book done in 1994 for Penguin Random House Books for Young Readers.

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In Field Natural History Tags illustration, snakes, boa constrictor, rainbow boa, nature art, science art
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The Ultimate Pop-up Books-- Vintage Covers

September 17, 2025

Now considered vintage, these two books—The Ultimate Bug Book (1993) and The Ultimate Ocean Book (1995)—were published by Western Publishing Co. I painted the covers for both titles, while other artists and paper designers handled the interior artwork.

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In Field Natural History, Science art Tags cicada art, lionfish, scorpionfish, book covers, vintage cover art for insect books
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A Spell to End All War, 2022. Graphite on Arches paper, mounted to hardboard.

A Spell To End All War

September 16, 2025

Could an image itself be a spell? This drawing began as a simple still life of skull, pinecone, and violets, but soon became an altar of intention. I explore how art can function as an operative image—more than illustration, a form of magic

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In Fantasy art, Feminist art, Field Natural History Tags spells, operative image, fantasy art, iconography, spell-painting, pagan imagery
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Little Briar Rose, 2016. Graphite on Arches hotpress paper, 18’ x 24”.

Little Briar Rose

December 26, 2024

When designing this piece, my intention was to call upon the children’s book design of the Art Nouveau era and the Eastern European aesthetic of the 1800s. I was thinking specifically of Alphonse Mucha, tinged with the character development quality of….

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In classic literature Tags graphite drawing, Little Briar Rose, Sleeping Beauty, slavic witches, children's story
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Rainforest, oil on gessoed paper approx., 12” x 15”. 2003.

Rainforest cover for Harcourt Publishing Co.

December 26, 2024

What I particularly enjoyed about doing this cover was envisioning the distant landscape from the treetops and canopy of the South American continental rain forest. I hope that the American kids who had this book in school enjoyed daydreaming about the faraway vistas in these lands. I hope it inspired them to dream about creating a better environmental future.

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In Science art Tags aerial view of rainforest, rainforest animals, environmental art
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Thumbelina, 18” x 24”. Oil on masonite board. Circa1990.

Thumbelina

September 18, 2024

My “about” page mentions that I like to collect all kinds of specimens. Well, this old habit extends to dead birds and I use the found opportunity to indulge my love of drawing them....

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In classic literature, Fantasy art Tags Thumbelina, crow, fantasy worlds, children's story
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Take Your Time, 2022. Graphite on Arches hotpress paper, mounted to Masonite; 13’ x 13”.

Take Your Time

August 25, 2024

When you’re a snail, time doesn’t really mean anything, does it? Perhaps it only matters when it’s getting that time to get under the leaves when it’s too cold. There’s a time to....

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In Fantasy art, Botanical art Tags cottagecore, snails, botany, forest, magical forest art, ferns, hidden worlds
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A Horizon, 18” x 24”h, oil on canvas. 2003

A Horizon

June 3, 2024

Certain art teachers over the years have said that any art we make is a kind of self-portrait. While the girl doesn’t really look like me, she contains my doubt and fear. I painted this close my graduation, so the academic robe and lab rat were deliberate choices….

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In Feminist art, Field Natural History Tags A-horizon, science and art
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Pet Portraits

June 3, 2024

I haven’t done many pet portraits, but when I do, I’ve enjoyed them.

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In pet portraits Tags pet portraits, traditional oil portraits
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Call of the Wild 18” x 24”, oil on unstretched canvas. 2002.

Call of the Wild

June 3, 2024

My enthusiasm for doing the art for this title came from having read this story when I was in 4th of 5th grade. At the time, it seemed so adventurous, and so gritty. London’s storytelling was so sharp— I could smell the fresh snow and hear the dogs yelping.

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In classic literature Tags Call of the Wild, wolves, sled dogs, arctic
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Earth Day poster, 2004. Oils, 22” x 30”.

Earth Day Poster

May 1, 2024

Every year on Earth Day I think of this piece and how much I enjoyed making it and I wonder who and where it’s affecting the world right now.

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In Feminist art, Field Natural History, Science art Tags rainforest, butterflies, aerial view of rainforest, Earth Day poster, Live Out Loud
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The Stone Boatmen by author Sarah Tolmie. 22" x 30", oil paint on Olio paper. August 2013.

The Stone Boatmen

April 9, 2024

A freelance cover for Aqueduct Press. I had a great deal of fun drawing and painting the figure especially. Making it look like it had been sculpted of weathered and stained stone was a wonderful challenge.

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In Fantasy art, Feminist art Tags Sarah Tolmie, The Stone Boatmen
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The Strawberry Pot, Oil on gessoed paper, 12” x 16”. 2015.

The Strawberry Pot

March 23, 2024

In my 1 year partnership in selling my work with art agent, Jane Frank, I’ve learned a lot about the market of art and the specificities around selling to buyers. One thing that’s come up in our conversations is why one should refrain from ever …

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In Botanical art, Fantasy art Tags gnome, strawberries, Old Farmer's Almanac garden calendar
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Libra, sold last year to an online buyer.

Zodiac Calendar

March 18, 2024

Llewellyn’s Astrological Calendar is one of those projects that many young fantasy illustrators seek to do at some point. I really enjoyed interpreting the astrological canon of the signs and found that my feminist filter caused me to …

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In Feminist art, Fantasy art Tags astrological calendar art, zodiac calendar art, Libra, Scorpio, spelunker, Wow-Art, Jane Frank
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Russell Cave and a portrayal of the native archaic peoples. Acrylic on board, 36” x 40”.

National Parks: Russell Cave National Monument

January 26, 2024

Not in my wildest dreams would I have imagined I’d end up creating a brochure for the National Parks ….

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In Feminist art, Field Natural History, Science art Tags Russell Cave National Monument, National Parks brochure, Russell Cave art, Alabama cave systems, batch1
2 Comments

Little Kingdom, 13”, graphite on Arches, 2023.

Little Kingdom

November 28, 2023

The art that now lives in the frame started with an October walk through a section of the Appalachian Trail in Gardners, PA. There, I took a few reference shots of some mushrooms I saw, including these deadly…

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In Field Natural History Tags graphite drawing, toad, mushrooms, batch1
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Feast For Crows, 19" x 15"; oil on Arches Olio paper. 2012.

Feast For Crows

November 28, 2023

With multiples, I wanted to promote the idea that we can create social justice and change when we work together in an interdependent way— that we needn’t continue to be alone or isolated.

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In Feminist art, Fantasy art Tags crows, revenge, batch1
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Migration, 30” x 40”, oil on canvas. 2022.

Migration

October 6, 2023

So, my fun idea for the image was to imagine if these creatures were real, what natural environment and niche might they inhabit? I viewed them as pelagic creatures roaming in aether, floating gas giants possibly on a hydrogen-rich planet….

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In Fantasy art Tags ophanim, mithraism, eyes, pelagic creatures, batch1
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Leap, 8” x 10”, oil on paper mounted to gessoed hardboard.

Leap

October 4, 2023

Where is she going? Where will she land? It’s much like the act of making any art. We leap and trust that we’ll land where we need to be. Are we safe? Not really, but that’s part of the thrill and delight of making art and making a life.

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In Fantasy art, Feminist art Tags leap of faith, trust in yourself, batch1
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Kristin Kest Fine Art, Illustration, and Ceramics

A working artist living in the beautiful Susquehanna Valley of York, PA

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