Who is Kalm?
I am a self-taught Central Queensland artist who currently works full-time in a non-art industry.
I have always dabbled in art, mostly drawing, but it wasn't until after I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that I immersed myself in creating things, finding it as a way to switch off my mind from my mental illness-imposed thoughts.
I have since self-recovered from PTSD and now create for the joy of the journey.
My works have been short-listed in Rockhampton Art Gallery's Bayton Awards in 2015, the Rio Tinto Martin Hanson Memorial Art Awards in 2015 and 2025, and the Brigalow Arts Festival in 2025.
However, I have impressed others with my works with one of my early Pastel works being sold to a friend who saw it moments after I picked it up from the framer - now PNE Art and Framing in East Street.
I have also gifted works, such as the dragon watercolour painting to the left, along with a pet portrait to a family member after their beloved dog died suddenly, and a watercolour painting of a house that the family spent over 20 years renovating and had to sell due to health issues.
I have completed commission works for pet portraits and one house so far, and interested in doing more as these are two things I love to create.
I have also recently started teaching myself how to paint in oils and started going en plein air to practice oil painting and capturing the beautiful landscapes Central Queensland has to offer.
Buildings
Iconic old Rockhampton buildings
We travel the world to view iconic historical buildings such as the pyramids in Egypt, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Colosseum in Italy, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace in the United Kingdom and the temples, castles and shrines in Japan.
But do we really appreciate the iconic historical buildings in our own community?
Rockhampton has some amazing iconic old buildings, from the old Supreme Court building where people where hung to death for their crimes, to Custom House on Quay Street, which was built with Stanwell sandstone, and places like The Criterion Hotel, the former home of The Morning Bulletin and the building that now houses ABC Capricornia.
Ask a local walking past such buildings if they have any memories about these buildings and you’ll likely end up hearing a couple of great yarns.
Artworks of buildings not just capture history, but they also invoke memories - good and bad - for many.
Commissions
Pet portraits
Sure, pets can be captured on your smartphone and provide a great keepsake image, but can you capture all of their major personality traits in one image?
A custom pet portrait, whether created from a stack of photos you provide or many the artist comes and takes at an agreed location, can do more than just capture your beloved fur baby. It can capture their personality at the same time, or just a really great portrait that includes all the important features of the pet’s appearance.
It can be a tribute to a pet that has passed on, or one that makes sure you have a beautiful keepsake of them at this point in their lives.
Or you could be wanting to find a special present for a loved one (human kind).
Buildings and landscape commissions
Kalm does accept building and landscape commissions and has access to a drone that could be used for a bird’s-eye view of the building you would like to commission for a painting. The availability of this depends on the aerospace zones.
Art Prints
Many of my artworks will be available as art prints, particularly those from the Rockhampton Iconic Historical Buildings project. Click below to find out what is available to buy now.
