Kim Wiggins is a modernist painter from New Mexico. His distinct style and revolutionary vision have made him one of the most recognizable artists working in the American West. Celebrated as a pioneer of the current New West or Modern West Movement, Wiggins challenges conventional perceptions of Western art through his bold modern-leaning vision. Throughout his career the artist has experimented with Impressionism, Expressionism, Magical Realism, Symbolism, and Modernism – culminating in a singular style undeniably his own. His vast experience and historical research have elevated him as a prominent speaker in the art industry, encouraging innovation in Western art. Growing up on a ranch in the Pecos Valley, he was discovered in 1972 by an art dealer from Scottsdale who began marketing the young prodigy at the age of 13. Although primarily self-taught, he was mentored early on by the iconic artists Alexandre Hogue and Henriette Wyeth. By 1983 he was the youngest member of the Society of American Impressionists (SAI) exhibiting alongside George Carlson, Everett Raymond Kinstler, and Sandy Scott.

Wiggins is listed in Who’s Who in American Art and Who’s Who in the World. He has won numerous awards and accolades including 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 Briscoe Museum’s William B. Travis Award for Patrons’ Choice, the 2014 New Mexico Historical Society’s Heritage Award, the Jackie Autry Special Purchase at the 2005 Masters of the American West held in Los Angeles, and the Peoples’ Choice at the Painters and the American West Exhibit at the Denver Art Museum in 2000. Career highlights include a collection of ten works by Wiggins documenting the history of California housed at the Staples Center (Crypto.com Arena) in Los Angeles, often the centerpiece for interviews such as the Grammy Awards. Wiggins was recently honored by the NAACP with an extensive commission documenting various aspects of Black History. These four major works were unveiled on Juneteenth 2023 at the Dayton Art Institute. The artist recently celebrated a large-scale solo show with Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale, which sold out in minutes.