Did I just drop my first 24" x 18" ice cream cone print? Yes, Ma'am!

Celebration Cone, an open-edition signed art print, available in 2 sizes: 16" x 12" and 24" x 18" (pre-order only right now for the large size; large size will ship rolled in a tube).

Something I've been asked a lot about over the years is, will you ever make larger prints? My answer was always maybe, someday. But I'm happy to share that I'm dropping my first larger open-edition art print of Celebration Cone, at a 24" x 18" size (pre-order only right now) as well as a 16" x 12". This print is signed and titled, and printed on heavy museum-quality photo-rag paper using archival inks for longevity. The print is borderless.

So if you'd like a big pop of fun and color on your happy walls, check out the new drop!

This will also be the featured print for my Mini Ice Cream Print Club for November, which you'll get if you join between October 1 and October 31. That is a signed, open-edition print at 7" x 5", which will ship via snail mail in mid-November.

Happy Art for Happy Walls! Thanks for visiting!

- KIM 

Last Day to Get the Strawberry Scoops Mini Print When Your Join My Mini Monthly Ice Cream Print Club

 

Join the Mini Monthly Ice Cream Art Print Club

Okay, I get it, I'm talking a lot about my new print club for my ice cream paintings. But you know what? It's kind of awesome. The prints are kind of awesome. And it's a sweet way to start collecting some really amazing art (if I do say so myself!) at an affordable price. Plus, the whole snail mail concept -- retro, super cool, whatever you want to say about it -- but I like to think it helps to connect us all in a way that social media and the internet just can't do. You can read some more about why I did this snail mail project here. 

So yeah, last day! Last day to sign up to get next month's print is always going to be the last day of the previous month. Get Strawberry Scoops sent to you in mid-October when you sign up by the end of the day today. 

As always, thanks for your kindness and support. Please share my happy art with anyone you think needs a pick-me-up, calorie-free. I do my best to bring some extra smiles into the world. 

- KIM 

A Design Alternative to the Fashionable Chocolate Brown Color Trend - Chocolate Ice Cream Art

 

Chocolate ice cream prints of original paintings by Kim Testone

Fun facts about me: I really love school. I have a bachelor's degree in drawing, a master's degree in arts administration, and I took a bunch of extra classes, too, including a number of courses in interior design. It's been quite a while, but I do try to stay up a bit on the trends. Every fall, there's a new trending list of colors that will be coming into style. These trending colors are in part decided by paint companies as well as organizations that specialize in color forecasts, like the Pantone Color Institute.

Anyway, so one of the color trends forecasted for the coming season is Chocolate Brown. Now, far be it from me to question what the color authorities say, but I painted a bathroom chocolate brown many years ago, and let's just say it was something I'm not ready to commit to again. Probably ever.

So if you aren't ready for chocolate brown walls yet, how about just putting some chocolate ice cream on the walls? Yes, I'm peddling my own wares, but seriously, these prints of my original ice cream paintings are pretty awesome. I put a lot of time into making them come out just right, with clean and modern white backgrounds, just like the paintings (which by the way, take me no less than 40 hours to complete, each). 

Whimsical, charming, totally inedible. But quite the home design statement and a whole lot of fun. So really, make your walls fun...and chocolate-ty. I work really hard because I want the whole world to smile when they see my work.

Happy walls for all. 

- KIM 

 

Why I Made a Snail Mail Art Print Club

Join by September 30 to get the first mini print drop, Strawberry Scoops, sent to you via snail mail in October.


Short Story Time: So a couple of weeks ago, I announced that I was creating a Monthly Snail Mail Art Print Club, where you can get miniature prints (usually around 7" x 5") sent to your mailbox every month via snail mail. It makes things affordable for you and for me and enables me to share my happy art with more people, which is always the goal. But that's not the only reason.

When I went away to college, my grandmother wrote a short letter to me religiously every week. It was never about anything particularly significant -- often about the weather, or what she and my grandpap were doing in the garden, or how they were excited for upcoming holidays. I was a very lonely 18-year-old, who had uprooted myself from my small-town, shy ways, and I had a difficult time adjusting. Opening my mailbox in the college mailroom and getting that flowery stationery from my grandma each week just lifted my spirits. It made me feel like someone cared. Though I never told her how much they meant to me, I saved every letter she wrote, and still have them decades later, in a carefully treasured box. 

The world is in a difficult state right now. We are all trying to navigate some very challenging times. Just getting a little boost of joy like a piece of happy snail is something that I feel can make a very small difference. I'm just an artist; I've dedicated myself to making happy art. So whether you get a painting, a print, or just follow my work on my website or social media, I want you to know that I paint from a place of sincerity, calling on all of the voices in my life that have loved me and taught me to look for the happy moments.

I appreciate your interest in my work. I hope it lifts you up. I hope you see through the dark times and look for the light. I hope you take this as encouragement to stay positive and do something kind today, because that type of behavior is ultimately what will really change the world. 

Or hey, maybe you just like ice cream and want to see it on your desk or walls! I can help with that. 

- KIM

Join My New Mini Monthly Ice Cream Art Print Club - A Happy Little Snail Mail Project

Join by September 30th to get the first signed mini print, Strawberry Scoops, mailed to you via snail mail this October.   

Well, folks, I'm deep in the midst of new painting projects for my 2026 show at Hidell Brooks. I've been sharing some images of these new paintings, which I call cookie landscapes, so I hope you've been following along on social media and will continue to check out my new pieces!

In the meantime, though, despite loving my work, I'm feeling a little isolated in my studio, and so I've been considering ways to share my art with more people and develop some deeper connections with my followers. This week, I'm very excited to announce that I'm launching a monthly snail mail art print club, featuring mini prints of some of my most popular ice cream paintings from recent years. 

My work has always been about joy and nostalgia, and introducing an affordable snail mail way to collect my art just seems like the right fit. Who doesn't love cheerful snail mail? The occasional card, letter or small gift can just lift your spirits, in a way that social media really doesn't. 

So if you enjoy my ice cream paintings and would like to get a little bit of joy and color in your mailbox each month, please be sure to check out my member sign up page. For $19 a month, you'll get a signed mini fine art print featuring one of my ice cream paintings, encased in a protective plastic sleeve, and a short letter, sharing a bit about how or why I created the piece, or what's going on in my art life. It ships in a simple stamped envelope, which helps keep costs super low.

Whether you want to keep them, collect them, or share them with others, I think you'll find that they're just so cute and sweet you can't help but love them! 

Thanks as always for your kindness and support! Let's save the world together with some happy art!

Sign up by September 30th to get the first mini print, Strawberry Scoops, which will be sent out in mid-October. 

These open-edition mini prints are signed KimT on the front, and titled and signed on the back. Ships via snail mail!

  

New Strawberry Scoops Ice Cream Cone Print Available

 

Strawberry Scoops Open Edition Print now available.

Available in three print sizes: 16" x 12", 12" x 9" and 10" x 8".

So excited to release the print of my Strawberry Scoops Ice Cream Cone, based on my 2025 painting. Technically I began this painting several years ago, and then set it aside because it was too difficult, I thought. But I came back to it this year with new eyes and new skills, and it's one of my absolute favorites. 

Be sure to catch it while it's on sale during my Sunshine Print Sale (Buy 2 get 1 FREE, ends July 31; discount automatically applied at checkout). 

Hope it makes you smile!

SUNSHINE PRINT SALE - Buy 2 Prints Get 1 Free - Ends July 31

 

Featuring Two Scoops of Vanilla, fine art print, 16" x 12". 

Hey folks, it's time for the biggest sale of the year, just in time to keep you cool this summer! During the SUNSHINE PRINT SALE, buy any 2 prints, get 1 FREE. Yep, that includes all the ice cream prints, as well as many of the other sweet treats featured on my website. 

Discount automatically applied at checkout. Always free FedEx shipping within the continental U.S. 

Sale ends July 31. 

And 10% of all sales still go to the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). Thank you again for your kindness and support!

The 2025 Annual Art Mailer from Hidell Brooks Gallery

Such a nice way to start off the new year! I just received the annual mailer from Hidell Brooks Gallery in Charlotte, North Carolina. So pleased to see one of my ice cream paintings right in the middle, among so many wonderful works by other represented artists. Thank you to the ladies at Hidell Brooks! It will be a good year, with a lot of new stuff coming...

 

Six New Mini Original Ice Cream Paintings

 

Mini Strawberry Sauce, 7" x 5", acrylic on panel.

Happy Thursday! I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season! I've just finished six mini ice cream paintings that were just delivered to Hidell Brooks Gallery in Charlotte, North Carolina, and I thought I'd share them here. It was really nice to go back to painting some small pieces after spending months painting big ones. 

Check the Hidell Brooks website for availability. I hope they make you smile!

Mini Birthday Cake Cone, 7" x 5", acrylic on panel.

Mini Cookies and Cream, 7" x 5", acrylic on panel.

Mini Twist, 7" x 5", acrylic on panel.

Mini French Vanilla, 7" x 5", acrylic on panel.

Mini Cherry and Chocolate, 7"x 5", acrylic on panel.

Special Announcement: 10% of Art Print Sales Will Be Donated to the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)

 

My two cats, ages 19 and 17-1/2.

Happy Friday after Thanksgiving, everyone! I have a special announcement. I've given myself a Christmas gift of sorts. It's been a dream of mine to make my art not only bring smiles to people's faces, but to also have a more measurable impact on some of the causes I care about. I've decided that from this point forward, 10% of all of my print sales will be directly donated to charity, and right now, that charity is the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). 

For me and my husband, our cats have been such a huge part of our lives. Both of our girls, shown above, were diagnosed with kidney disease in the last year and a half. They require a great deal of love and care, and we are happy to provide it for them. I am so grateful to everyone who has supported my art, especially now, as it has helped to pay for prescription food, medical bills and other expenses associated with keeping our kitties healthy and happy, enjoying their long and peaceful lives. 

Not every animal is loved and care for, though, and that is why the ASPCA has a special place in my heart, acting as a voice for the voiceless. I encourage you to visit their site and discover more about what they do, and consider donating directly to them. And, if you buy any prints from me through my website, you'll see a message indicating that 10% of the sales will be donated to the ASPCA. If you buy anything through my Etsy store instead, I'll make a donation directly based on the sale. 

ALSO, THROUGH THE END OF DECEMBER: If anyone buys an original painting of mine through Hidell Brooks Gallery, where all of my originals are carried, I'll personally donate 5% of my proceeds to the ASPCA.  

AND FINALLY, AS A SPECIAL END-OF-YEAR THANKS TO YOU: You can save an extra 10% on the prints, on top of the 10% that will be donated to the ASPCA. Just use the code HAPPY10, through December 9th. You can use this on my website or in my Etsy store.

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving, that you take a few moments this busy weekend to appreciate what you have, and that you consider giving back in some way to those who need it and aren't able to stand up for themselves. 

Thank you again for your continued support as I keep making happy art! I've got some new things in the works, and I'm pretty excited to be able to bring them to you. Happy Holidays!

- KIM 

19 different prints available on my website.
10% of all sales will be donated to the ASPCA.

New Print Available - Chocolate Vanilla Fudge Ripple Triple Scoop Ice Cream Cone

 

Chocolate Vanilla Fudge Ripple Fine Art Open Edition Ice Cream Cone Print.
Size: 19" x 9.5". Printed on heavy-weight museum quality paper with archival inks. 

I'm happy to announce the release of my latest print: the Chocolate Vanilla Fudge Ripple Triple Scoop Ice Cream Cone, based on one of my original 2024 paintings. You can see me paint the original piece on my youtube channel here. Please note that the print itself is slightly smaller than the original painting. But it's still the tallest print I've ever made!

If you've followed my work and seen me talk about my prints before, you may remember that I'm very very particular about my prints. They aren't exact replicas of the original paintings, in part because I remove the original painted signature to better showcase the pencil signature, and I make sure the background is a super-clean white. So none of these are scan-and-go prints. I spend many hours editing them to perfection, trying to make each look as close to the feeling of the original painting as I can. I want them to look great on your walls, and so I treat each as their own work of art. I cut the paper by hand (which is super-tricky!), and ensure the colors are as close as possible to my original vision. It isn't easy. But that's the way I want things to be!

As for the original painting, I really loved working on this piece, in particular the fudge ripple, which was complicated but worth the time. Again, check out the video to see if you can figure out how I did it! Keep in mind that, as usual, I sculpted the original cone for the reference photo by hand in my kitchen. No stock imagery! It's always a bit of a mess, with a lot of trial-and-error and a lot of drips on my floor, but a few hundred photos later, and I find something I can work with. 

So for all of the chocolate lovers out there, this print is for you! Thanks for visiting!

Available on my website. 

First Look - Another New Giant New Ice Cream Cone Painting - Sunshine Sherbet

 

Sunshine Sherbet, acrylic on panel, 50" x 40". Soon to be available via Hidell Brooks Gallery.  

It's been a little bit since I've posted to my blog! I've been working furiously on some new large paintings (and some extra surprises), as well as taking care of two elderly kitties whom I just love so very much. It's a lot, and I just haven't had time to post, but I'm really happy to share this very cheerful giant ice cream cone painting that is on its way to Hidell Brooks Gallery. At 50" inches tall, it was quite daunting to work on, but I really enjoyed the colors, movement and sort of sculptural effect of the piece. It's important to me to get those really deep shadows of the folds of ice cream as well as the detailed icy highlights, but that extra little section of the three colors striped together in the middle, with a sort of wave, just gave this piece so much personality. I just felt like it was an explosion of sunshine, and I sincerely hope it makes you smile!

I have one more giant piece I'm working on that may take a bit more time. But I'm also working on six tiny ice creams, all 7" x 5", just for a change of pace to return to my roots of painting smaller art. I'll be sharing those soon. Thanks so much for visiting!

First Look at One of My New Giant Ice Cream Paintings - Sprinkles & Cherry Cone

 

Sprinkles & Cherry Cone, acrylic on panel, 48" x 36". Completed October 2024 and shipping soon to Hidell Brooks Gallery in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Happy Saturday! I'm in the middle of finishing up three giant ice cream paintings that I'll hopefully be shipping soon to Hidell Brooks Gallery in Charlotte, so I haven't gotten a chance to keep up with new posts as much I'd like to. But I'm happy to share this first new cone here today! 

Sprinkles are always a challenge and time-consuming, but they really make such a difference in the feel of a piece. As with all my pieces, I sculpted the ice cream for the reference photo myself by hand. The cherry added just that final celebratory twist, and I decided to crop closer on the image for the painting, which cuts the picture plane in half but really make you feel like it's just you and this giant ice cream cone hanging out in a state of joy. 

I'll share a few behind-the-scenes images soon, and some images of the other two cones when they are finished, but for now, I hope this Sprinkles & Cherry Cone makes you smile! Thanks for looking!

See what else is currently available at Hidell Brooks Gallery. 

Video Clips of the Process of Painting a Giant Hot Fudge Ice Cream Sundae

 

Happy Friday! I thought I'd share some video clips of the Giant Hot Fudge Ice Cream Sundae I painted in 2023 for my solo show at Hidell Brooks Gallery in Charlotte, North Carolina. This was a tricky one, both because of the soft whipped cream and the texture of the glass. I also sometimes change details that may be present in my reference photo, but that I think just won't look right in a painting. I did that here, actually, part-way through the painting. Working big is always a challenge, too, in part because I often have to make up the details to make things look convincing. 

This piece is sold, but I'm working on a couple of new big ones that should be shipping to HB soon. To see what other works I may have available, visit the HB website here.

Thanks for watching!

Hot Fudge Sundae, 50" x 40", acrylic on panel. SOLD.

Painting a Giant Strawberry Ice Cream Sundae in Acrylic

Happy Friday! Here's a short video showcasing clips of me painting the Strawberry Ice Cream Sundae for my 2023 solo show at Hidell Brooks Gallery in Charlotte, North Carolina. Acrylic on panel, 48" x 36", SOLD. 

I really loved all of the abstract shapes in this one, particularly when it comes to painting the ice cream behind the glass container. You'll also notice that I paint this one upside down at one point. I do this for a lot of my paintings because it helps me to see the shapes and colors more objectively, rather than trying to make them look like something. There's a great book that taught me this little trick years ago, although it was intended to be used for drawing, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards. I still find this book to be incredibly helpful even today, as it keeps my paintings more accurate and has taught me to see things differently as I work. 

Thanks for visiting!

Strawberry Sundae, acrylic on panel, 48" x 36", 2023. SOLD.

New Print Release - Cotton Candy Swirl Ice Cream Cone

 

Cotton Candy Swirl, now available as an open-edition print.

Hot off the press! I'm excited to announce that my Cotton Candy Swirl painting is now available as an open-edition print. I really loved painting the "swirl" on this one, and after many hours of work on getting the print just right, I'm super-happy with the final print result. 

If you are looking for a really colorful, cheerful piece of ice cream art, this might be the piece for you. Thanks so much for looking!

First print, coming off the printer!

Short Realistic Painting Video Demo of a Small Vanilla Rainbow Sprinkles Ice Cream Cone

 

Happy Monday! Here are short video clips of the process I used when painting the small vanilla cone with sprinkles, acrylic on panel, 16" x 12", completed earlier this year. Loved the drip on this one! Plus, it's actually a really great painting challenge to paint "white" ice cream on a white background. 

Sold through Hidell Brooks Gallery in Charlotte, North Carolina. Thanks for watching!

Small Vanilla with Sprinkles, acrylic on panel, 16" x 12". Sold.

Step by Step Short Acrylic Painting Demo Video of the Cotton Candy Swirl Ice Cream Cone

 

Happy Tuesday! Here's a short painting demo video showing some of the steps I used to paint a 16" x 12" Cotton Candy Swirl Ice Cream Cone, acrylic on panel. When taking reference photos for this one, I happened upon this one lucky scoop that included that lovely bullseye swirl. Since I was quite sure I'd never be able to scoop something like this again, I had to paint it! 

The original piece has been sold through Hidell Brooks Gallery in Charlotte, North Carolina. You can click here to see what other original paintings I may have available. Thanks for looking!

Cotton Candy Swirl, acrylic on panel, 16" x 12", by Kim Testone. Sold.

 

New Paintings Framed and Available at Hidell Brooks Gallery

 

Newly framed paintings from Kim Testone.
Available at Hidell Brooks Gallery in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Happy weekend! Hidell Brooks Gallery just got these two recent paintings of mine back from the framer, so they are ready to go. Love seeing my work when it's framed. Just gives it such a finished look. 

Pricing and availability here. Both are 16" x 12", acrylic on panel. Thanks for visiting!

Fudge Ripple, acrylic on panel, 16" x 12". Available at Hidell Brooks Gallery.

Orange & Yellow Sherbet, acrylic on panel, 16" x 12". Available at Hidell Brooks Gallery.

Step by Step Video Demo Painting a Strawberry Raspberry Vanilla Triple Scoop Ice Cream Cone in Acrylic

 

Happy Wednesday! I thought I'd share another short video demonstration, this time painting this Raspberry Swirl, Vanilla, Strawberry Triple Scoop cone. As with all my pieces, I used my own reference photo, after having sculpted numerous ice cream combinations with my bare hands and some kitchen tools. The drip of the vanilla down through the strawberry and onto the cone give this piece a little personality and feel for how it was starting to melt. This piece took about 50 to 60 hours to complete.

The original 24" x 12" acrylic on panel painting has been sold. You can see what other works I may have available at Hidell Brooks Gallery here. 

Thanks for watching!

Summer Triple Scoop, acrylic on panel, 24" x 12". SOLD.