Describe your current role.
I am a pop art portrait artist. I try to capture the joyful essence of my subjects with bold, fun colors and dynamic shapes reflecting their youthful personalities. My portraits are painted with oil paint but I have also painted several with acrylics and spray paint. www.Libbiekp.Com
How did you know this was your passion?
Art has always been a part of me. As a child, I filled coloring books; throughout school, I drew in margins of my homework and painted signs for basketball games at OHS. While at Ole Miss, I minored in Art. In law school, I wanted to drop out and pursue an MFA, but my father simply said no. As an attorney, I initially pursued a career representing artists and entertainers by protecting their copyrights. After walking away from being a corporate attorney to becoming a mom, photography became my medium of choice; always taking pictures of my children. That became a study of faces, which led to the desire to become a portrait artist.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
“Be strong” is what my father said to me as I stood sobbing in our driveway, saying goodbye to my parents before catching my flight to Thessaloniki, Greece, to begin my year-long studies at Aristotle University. Those two words were engraved on my soul that day.
What has been your best career moment?
I was honored to be commissioned by St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis to paint a posthumous portrait of one of their CEOs and chief physicians. When I was first contacted, I questioned whether they really wanted me and my style for a legendary man. After hearing about his charismatic personality, I knew I could capture him.
What is your hometown?
After my parents immigrated from Greece, I was born in St. Louis. They moved to Oxford when I was two and I literally grew up on the Square. They owned a restaurant called Dino’s, which was located where Ajax is now. We lived above the restaurant for a short time. The Square was my playground. I was allowed to visit the stores on either side of Dino’s. Jeannie’s Hallmark was to the right and Cato’s was to the left. The ladies at Cato let me draw on their gift boxes and they displayed them in their windows. It was my first gallery show!
What are you hobbies?
Hanging out with my family, painting any minute I can and teaching Pilates at Core Fitness.
What is your go-to binge-watch?
“Portrait Artist of the Year”, the podcast “Undrapped Artist” on YouTube and “Reacher”.
What is your last good read?
Since I can’t sit still I normally listen to Audible books and podcasts while I paint. The most recent novel that I listened to was “The God of the Woods”.
What is your favorite meal in Oxford?
My mom’s kitchen table. IYKYK
