Meet the Window Goddess: An Atwater Village sign painter and artist adds her flair to local businesses | Atwater Village News
Atwater Village — For more than 15 years, Kimberley Edwards has made a name for herself, applying her style of art to Los Angeles businesses.
Edwards — aka the Window Goddess — does it all, from wall signs to awning lettering to chalk menu boards. But her biggest claim to fame is the window splash – bright and bold lettering and images painted on storefront windows. Frequently used to promote sales, her work can be seen all over the windows of the Eastside, including Jill’s Paints and the Village Bakery in Atwater Village, Cindy’s diner in Eagle Rock and Parkview Living in Echo Park.
Kimberley Edwards, The Window Goddess
Edwards, who is from St. Louis but has called Atwater Village home since 1999, took a few minutes out of her day to talk about her art, inspiration and Andy Warhol.
What first attracted you to art?
It’s been something I’ve done all my life. I basically got a lot of positive reinforcement for that as a child and went into special art study in high school and continued with a lot of different avenues of art study after that: graphic design, typography, commercial art, painting, that sort of thing. Then I discovered sign painting via window splash.
What’s your creative process? Do you tend to go with what a client wants, or do you get a little more free reign?
It turns out much better if I get a basic guideline … then I have absolute free reign. It’s my canvas. That’s what turns out the best. The more direction I get, the more restricted it becomes. I generally just get inspiration for which way I want to go off the top of my head. I’ll generally do a quick sketch for them to let them see it, and they say great, go for it.
Where does the inspiration come from?
The type of business it is definitely does influence the kind of imagery that I will use. I just try to make it as bright and pop art and whimsical as I can. If it’s a real vintage-oriented place, I’ll try to go toward vintage colors. Or maybe look towards old advertising art that I can get ideas from. I love old advertising art. That’s something that when I got into sign painting and window splash, I realized I always had a passion for old advertising art that I just never quite had become conscious of.
Is the holiday season your busiest time of year?
It’s absolutely my busiest time of year. Everyone wants window splash.
How long does a project take?
It can take anywhere from about four hours to about three days.
What’s the focus of your personal art?
I still like to incorporate lettering. I’m pretty eclectic in my personal styles. Mostly acrylic painting. I do love to kind of incorporate a lot of the commercial kind of things into that as well.
Pop art, commercial art. That’s a little Andy Warhol, huh?
I love Andy Warhol. I absolutely love Andy Warhol.
