Hello, and Welcome to Red Dirt Farm and Studio.

Hi, I’m Kim and I have been married to my best friend for over thirty years.  We live in a 1930’s cottage-style farmhouse in Central Virginia. We have been renovating and building an addition to our home for the past few years, and probably will be for a few more.

I am a maker and I am also a small-scale flower and chicken farmer.

Flowers From the Farm Gardens

Mr. Red Dirt is the down to earth smart business-oriented mind.  Me – I’m the head in the clouds, day-dreamer.

Long ago, in another life, I worked for a financial firm.  Completely miserable and out of my element, I eventually left to pursue work that felt more authentic to who I am.

My creative spirit set sail and I have been fortunate to explore many different paths. My home has always been my sanctuary.  A sweet farmhouse and a lovely purple studio where I create art sits under the shade of an old pecan tree at the back of our property.  It has been unused for a number of years.  I currently carve out space to paint and create in the house, usually at the kitchen table.

I like to work with different media.  I started out working with metal, mostly creating garden art.  Then, one year my husband purchased a kiln for me because I was interested in working with glass. I worked with glass for several years.

I used to travel selling my work at art shows and festivals.  Eventually, I gave that up so that my time was available to help care for my mother who had Alzheimer’s.  It was a 15-year journey that left me mentally and physically drained. When my mother passed it rocked me to my core.  I stopped creating and making – my soul was broken for a very long time.  During this time I suffered a head and shoulder injury and then was diagnosed with an Auto-immune disorder.

I turned to my gardens to get my heart and soul and physical being back in alignment.  I cried a river of tears while tending my flowers and through the heartbreak, I was experiencing, time spent gardening and in nature revived my spirit.  I decided to pursue my life-long dream of selling flowers at a little road-side stand here at the farm.

In 2020, I picked up a paintbrush for the first time, I am teaching myself to paint, and I am so full of joy and happiness again.

My work is light-hearted folksy style, heavily influenced by my love of color, nature and animals, in particular birds.

abstract bird and nest painting

 I run a small roadside farm stand and art wagon on our property, selling fresh eggs and flowers and my paintings and other items I make.

I care for my animals and my flowers the same way, using nature as a guide, no chemicals, no pesticides for the plants, and no harmful antibiotics or steroids, for the animals; lots of love and taking the bad with the good.

Here I share stories and photos of my life and the things I cook and make, but this is not a how-to or a DYI, kind of blog. It is more like a letter written to a friend.  Please, introduce yourself and join along in the conversation, that’s what makes blogging fun for me.

We are blessed to live a beautiful life full of love and respect.  It isn’t always pretty or easy; actually,  caring for this small farm is a lot of hard work and there is never a day off.

And that my friends, is what this blog is about, my life here on the farm, and of course the things I make.

Join along as the adventures continue.

XO

Kim

2022 update

P.S.  A new chapter in our life story is unfolding.  As we prepare to retire and begin a new life I hope you will join along.  For a sneak peak at our future home please go here.

drama queen

hand-feeding a chickadee

Bottles on the post

Phineas Pheasant

Peafowl under the magnolia

Greeting Card made from Kim’s Painting

roses on the fence

Henry

sunflowers on the kitchen sill

laser sharp eyes

Hi my name is Boo!

Frankie Roo and the girls

a painting in progress

Red Dirt Cottage

collage

My name is Peanut

That Cat – a once feral rescue

Coconut shows his lovely colors

Koi pond

Sunshine on a stem

fresh from the garden

sunflowers are my glory

abstract acrylic and pastels painting of flowers

Buddyru

Flowers from the garden

pesto from the garden

Henry and Mr. Bonez

bezel pendants made from Kim critzer’s paintings

herb garden

The peafowl take their firs snowy steps

Coral Cottage house addition

Just a little view of my everyday life here at Red Dirt farm.

Sign up for joy filled letters

Join Kim on a journey to share more joy and more gratitude through her joy filled letters. Kim’s personal letter inviting you to view new vlogs, get first hand notice of sales and to purchase new pieces of artwork. Of course it will all be joy filled messages.

 

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