3D
Design
Animation
Isabel Lauren Loewe
Oct 23, 2025
'Black Float' 2024
In the past year, D.C.-based painter and animator Tom Kim has quietly become one of the most versatile artists in the city, a name you’ll see on gallery lineups, mural walls, and even the city’s public art collections. Known for his glowing oil paintings that merge classical technique with the spirit of animation, Kim’s work sits somewhere between the fine art world and Saturday morning TV.
We spent an evening at his home, eating burgers and drinking wine with him and his wife, surrounded by paintings he’s been revising for years. His canvases fold nostalgia into color, skies pulled from war photography, children in hanboks, and cartoon stills softened by time.
Your bio says your mom, your sister, and the television raised you. Can you expand on that?
My dad passed away young, and my mom worked a lot. So I spent a lot of time alone with the TV. It taught me stories, role models, morality, everything.
Do you think cartoons got you into art as a kid?
Definitely. I was always drawing. Cartoons and comics were the first step into storytelling, and art became a way to do that.
Where does your style come from? What are your influences?
Cartoons, comic books, turn-of-the-century painting, and abstract work. Cartoons, in particular, I think they're culturally important and underappreciated. They’re visually rich, and I try to elevate them in my paintings.
Favorite cartoons or animation cells you’d collect?
Over the Garden Wall. It’s beautiful, haunting, and the painted backgrounds are perfect.
Can you tell us about your family seal and the meaning behind it?
The stamp I use is called a dojang, a Korean family seal with your family name and your given name, specific to you. My Korean name is Tom Kim, and I simplified the signature to just say “Tom” in Korean. My mom brought it back from Korea, and she's been really supportive, so it feels meaningful. It’s a symbol of pride, heritage, and a cool design element too.
As a Korean American artist, how do you see that duality shaping your work?
I didn't grow up seeing Korean artists in the media. Now I realize a lot of classic American cartoons were actually animated in Korean studios. I want to celebrate that hidden contribution and elevate it with my work.
Do you hope your art promotes Korean culture?
It’s not the central message, but I do want to show pride in who I am and let other Korean or Asian kids see people who look like them making cool stuff.
How does it feel to see Korean artists finally getting global recognition?
It’s incredible. Korean people are proud. It’s inspiring to see our stories and art getting global respect after years of only being seen as labor, not creatives.
Do you feel that Korean films and their darker tones influence your work?
Definitely. I consume a lot of film, especially Korean cinema. The mood, the cinematography, the emotional depth, they all feed into what I try to do in my paintings.
A Forest for the Trees, 2025
You’ve shifted styles recently, moving from ink drawing to something more Impressionist. Do you think that contributed to your recent success?
I think so. The change felt natural, unplanned. I started working more instinctively, painting over older works, chasing light and movement.
How do you choose your colors?
It’s about capturing light, like in photography or film. I think a lot about “magic hour” and the glow of clouds at dawn or dusk. I want my paintings to reflect that kind of awe.
What inspired your painting Poolside?
DC has amazing public pools. I wanted to capture that sense of joy and light. The clouds in the painting are partially based on war photography, balancing beauty and horror. It's about how we find joy even in a broken world.
The piece you're working on now. What’s the process like?
It’s a work in progress that I’ve painted over for two years. No clear direction yet, just chasing reflected light and building from there.
Do you feel pride in your work right now?
Yeah. I’ve been doing this for a long time. It doesn’t really have a “purpose,” which is the great part, but I’ve definitely improved.
What’s the main message you hope to get across with your work?
Honestly? I want to make cool stuff. Every artist does. The style may shift and evolve, but the goal is to get better, try different things, and not feel boxed in by categories like “high art” or “lowbrow.”
Do you have any short-term goals right now?
I’ve got a lot of ideas. I’m doing more murals and prepping for a group show in February with Asian American artists for the Year of the Dragon.
What is your truth as an artist?
My Korean name, Tom Kim, actually means “searching for truth.” That’s a big responsibility. For me, storytelling is the core, figuring out how to say something meaningful through a single image. I’m still learning, but that search is the journey.
'Black Float' 2024
You’ve shifted styles recently, moving from ink drawing to something more Impressionist. Do you think that contributed to your recent success?
I think so. The change felt natural, unplanned. I started working more instinctively, painting over older works, chasing light and movement.
How do you choose your colors?
It’s about capturing light, like in photography or film. I think a lot about “magic hour” and the glow of clouds at dawn or dusk. I want my paintings to reflect that kind of awe.
What inspired your painting Poolside?
DC has amazing public pools. I wanted to capture that sense of joy and light. The clouds in the painting are partially based on war photography, balancing beauty and horror. It's about how we find joy even in a broken world.
The piece you're working on now. What’s the process like?
It’s a work in progress that I’ve painted over for two years. No clear direction yet, just chasing reflected light and building from there.
Do you feel pride in your work right now?
Yeah. I’ve been doing this for a long time. It doesn’t really have a “purpose,” which is the great part, but I’ve definitely improved.
What’s the main message you hope to get across with your work?
Honestly? I want to make cool stuff. Every artist does. The style may shift and evolve, but the goal is to get better, try different things, and not feel boxed in by categories like “high art” or “lowbrow.”
Do you have any short-term goals right now?
I’ve got a lot of ideas. I’m doing more murals and prepping for a group show in February with Asian American artists for the Year of the Dragon.
What is your truth as an artist?
My Korean name, Tom Kim, actually means “searching for truth.” That’s a big responsibility. For me, storytelling is the core, figuring out how to say something meaningful through a single image. I’m still learning, but that search is the journey.
