About the Artist  
                                                                
      Kimberly K. (Steil) Magowan was born March 27, 1965 in San Jose, CA. Kimberly is a portrait artist living in Spfld., IL with her 3 sons.  She is a 1983 graduate of Sacred Heart Academy. Kimberly earned an Associate of Arts Degree from Springfield College in Illinois and  completed her Bachelor Degree at UIS.
 

      Kimberly is the Art teacher at St. Agnes School, the art teacher at St. Patrick’s Grade school,  and was the Event Coordinator for Michaels from 2005-2008.
 
      She was on the Board of Directors for the Springfield Area Arts Council and continues her portrait business, “Oil Portraits by Kimberly” of which she has been commissioned by several clients which include Bergners, Christ the King Church, and Gold’s Gym . Thirty-two paintings were completed for Bergners in 2006. Several portraits were completed for many clients throughout the city.
               
     Monsignor David Lantz, pastor of Christ the King Parish, has a portrait of Christ titled “Father Forgive Them,” painted by Kimberly, which he is displaying at the parish. He also has a portrait of Monsignor John Bretz, painted by Kimberly, which hangs in the Monsignor John Bretz Gymnasium dedicated to Monsignor Bretz.
 

     In the past Kimberly worked for ARC at Boaden Adult Center from 1985 -1987 where she had the rewarding job of teaching art to severely, mentally handicapped adults.
        
     Among many exhibits in IL, which include The Festival of Trees each year, several auctions, and the SHG Mostaccioli Dinner, Kimberly also teaches Fine Art classes to children and adults at several organizations throughout the city. Kimberly has given many presentations and speeches on Fine Art for organizations which include, The Rembrandt Society and AARP.
        
     She believes art is very important in each person’s life. According to Kimberly, art helps a child and adult to appreciate the beauty life has to offer while adding positive thoughts to their self esteem.                                     
         
     Kimberly believes that a job that has meaning is a job that helps others in some way, even if it is a small way.  The most important requirement for any job is to somehow bring joy and peace to someone’s life, whether that person is in tremendous grief and pain or whether it is tears of joy one is able to bring to someone’s eyes through their work. When a person is doing something they love, their passion radiates through their work and contributes to the peace in another’s life.