Kim E. Tester received her MFA in 1982 from Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX and her BS in 1979 from Southern CT St University, New Haven, CT. 

Since 1983, Kim has been teaching in Connecticut. She is currently Chair of the Fine Arts Department at Canterbury School, a private preparatory school in New Milford and an Adjunct Professor at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury. Kim has received several "Faculty Recognition Awards for Professional Excellence in the Arts" (1995,96,97,99,00) from WCSU. She has been a Guest Visiting Artist at the University of Dallas, Southern Connecticut State University, the University of Delaware, and Indiana University – Southeast. The Southern Graphics Council National Conference at the University of South Florida-Tampa and the MidAmerica Print Conference, which took place at the University of Cincinnati, OH, had Kim present workshops demonstrating “Water-based Reductive Screenprinting”. Kim has participated in over 160 exhibitions in the United States and abroad. A selection includes University of Hawaii, Metropolitan Museum – Tokyo, California State University, Slater Museum – Norwich, CT, Duxbury Art Museum – MA, International Triennial of Graphic Art – Republic of Macedonia, Prefectural Gallery – Kanagawa, Japan, and the University of Texas – Tyler, TX.  Her prints and drawings are in public and private collections throughout the United States and in Japan.

Statement “The visual image and symbolic use of the "thorn" began as a way "To Make A Point".  They have since evolved and collected into memory clusters. I believe that most of us lodge and care for our memories as precious artifacts or relics. The work focuses on the reflection and transitions that occur with memories, each time we pull them for review. These psychological interpretations of the thorn and the tree branch represent the “prickly” connections between the subconscious and the conscious world.”

Process:  The screenprint techniques that she uses satisfy both the organized and spontaneous elements of her personality by incorporating the sequential and technical nature of the printing process with the spontaneous nature of making art by drawing on the screen.