Collection: Kim Wiggins

Kim Wiggins 

Kim Wiggins, a modernist painter from New Mexico, is recognized as a leading figure in the New West or Modern West Movement. His work challenges traditional notions of Western art through a bold, contemporary vision, blending elements of Impressionism, Expressionism, Magical Realism, Symbolism, and Modernism into a singular, unmistakable style. Drawing on extensive historical research, Wiggins is also a sought-after speaker, advocating innovation and evolution in the field of Western art.

Born on a ranch in the Pecos Valley, Wiggins was discovered at the age of 13 by a Scottsdale art dealer. Though largely self-taught, he benefited from early mentorships with Alexandre Hogue and Henriette Wyeth. By 1983, he became the youngest member of the Society of American Impressionists (SAI), exhibiting alongside George Carlson, Everett Raymond Kinstler, and Sandy Scott.

Wiggins’s work has earned wide recognition, appearing in Who’s Who in American Art and Who’s Who in the World. Among his honors are the 2022 Museum Purchase Award at the Briscoe Western Art Museum, the 2020 Gold Medal for Best Narrative at the Autry Museum of the American West, the 2018 William B. Travis Award at the Briscoe Museum, the 2014 Heritage Award from the New Mexico Historical Society, and multiple awards from the Masters of the American West and Painters and the American West exhibitions.

Career highlights include ten works documenting California history, permanently installed at the Staples Center (Crypto.com Arena) in Los Angeles, and a major NAACP commission celebrating Black History, unveiled on Juneteenth 2023 at the Dayton Art Institute. Most recently, Wiggins’s large-scale solo exhibition at Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale sold out within minutes, further cementing his reputation as one of the most innovative and influential Western artists working today.