Sometimes artists simply paint where they are.
Vincent van Gogh painted one of his most famous works – The Starry Night, depicting the small town of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence – from the local psychiatric hospital where he was a patient.
Sometimes artists look for new inspiration to keep their work fresh and exciting.
A group of artists in the Ukraine don scuba gear and paint unde
rwater in the Black Sea. Working for up to 40 minutes at a time, they paint on canvasses covered with a waterproof adhesive coating.
For Jim Klein, it’s some of both.
With the J Klein Gallery Scottsdale open to such immediate success, Jim grabbed an opportunity to shake things up in the Old Town Arts District. He has leased the unfinished space next door to the gallery and turned it into a working studio – his own artist-in-residence program.
Until now, Jim has worked almost exclusively at his farmhouse studio outside Greeley, Colorado. This new Art Factory space 
offers several distinct advantages.
Work away from work
Still advising to his agriculture business of over forty years, it can be challenging to paint as often at his farm studio. With this new, dedicated space away from his other business and personal obligations, and the extensive time for reflection, Jim is free to concentrate on creating art.
The unfinished Gallery and whimsical studio combine into a living, organic space that affords Jim the ability to continually work on installations. He’s always one to say that most of his pieces are a balance of frustration and things naturally taking shape on their own. “I never know what drives these paintings or what will develop. That’s what makes it so exciting!”
Painting on-site at the Gallery gives Jim a different perspective once the work is on display as well. Now he curates through an artist’s lens, seeing work for its painterly qualities, rather than simply for its marketability.
Connection
Working in view of the public is a source of inspiration that Jim has embraced. Meeting new people as he paints, and gaining valuable patron feedback in real time, is a way to connect with his audience and immerse himself in the Scottsdale arts community. Meaningful and multi-layered exchanges, with both locals and visitors, inform his art in a way that was simply not possible working solely in his private studio.
A grander scale
The studio space is large enough to showcase a more extensive exhibit of Jim’s work, including more of his extremely large pieces, like Africa which is 100 x 80.
Audience engagement
This glimpse into the psyche of the artist also provides a rewarding experience for the art lovers visiting the District by enhancing their understanding of the creative process.
The Jim Klein Art Factory keeps the same hours as the J Klein Gallery next door:
7136 East Main Street
Scottsdale, AZ 85251-4315
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday:
10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Thursday: 10:00 am to 9:00 pm
(“America’s Original ArtWalk” takes place every Thursday evening)
Sunday Noon to 5:00 pm
Want to visit the Art Factory when Jim is painting? Please call or email ahead of time to make sure he is around.
Phone: 480-941-3442
Email: info@jkleingallery.com