Jaime Kahng Wiesner
Current Resident

Hello, I’m Jaime Kahng Wiesner, the current Artist in Residence at the Realist Art League. I was born and raised in Philadelphia and graduated from Wesleyan University in 2019 with a BA in Art and Social Studies.

After graduating, I spent several years working as an assistant muralist with the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, and later shifted into textiles, focusing on rug tufting and the craft fair circuit. While both paths were valuable, I found myself feeling increasingly disconnected from the act of making. Much of the process felt predetermined, with decisions made early and execution becoming more about filling in than discovering. I started to feel checked out, and eventually began questioning whether I should continue pursuing art at all.

Looking for a change, I returned to oil painting, something I had always enjoyed but never deeply studied. I realized I wanted a stronger foundation in drawing and painting, and found Realist Art League through a recommendation. I enrolled in Darren Kingsley’s still life class in Fall 2025, and it was exactly what I had been looking for.

The instruction at Realist Art League has given me direction in composition, color, drawing, and paint handling, but more importantly, it re-engages me in the process. There’s nothing passive about this kind of work. It demands attention and decision-making at every step, which has been incredibly grounding.

Equally important has been the sense of community. After spending long stretches working alone, I found the shared studio environment energizing and motivating. Being surrounded by people working at a high level, while also being generous and supportive, has changed the way I think about what it means to be an artist. Instead of feeling intimidated, I found myself excited, thinking, “I want to learn to paint like that.”

This semester, I’m continuing with still life and taking both figure classes, focusing on building a strong foundation, especially in figure painting. Alongside that, I’m beginning to explore the themes I want to pursue in my own work.

I still have doubts. I still question what it means to be an artist and whether it matters. But being in this environment has reminded me that it does. There is real value in trying to capture the beauty of a person, an object, or a moment in time.

Working with Realist Art League, I’ve been reminded that there is a deep, real joy in working hard at something and getting better at it.