Kimberly Horne has a unique art form from others. Horne uses secondhand men’s ties for a majority of her intricate artwork. After meticulously cutting out minute pieces of ties, Horne puts together a puzzle of tie parts together to produce a detailed and striking piece of art.

“It’s a sort of meditation,” Horne said. “I enjoy working with the ties. They are something that somebody wore and they end up in a picture as a final result.”

After a lifetime of moves across the United States, Horne finally landed in Arizona to be close to her family. Couture in the Suburbs couldn’t resist learning more about the Arizonan and her unique work. Horne, also known in the art world as Beulah Arts, is today’s featured Arizona Art Reimagined artist.

“Marilyn Monroe”

MR: What did you do to initiate your career?

KH: I just played around with stuff from my house growing up. I started with quilting and I still absolutely love to quilt. It is one of my passions. There is something about the whole world melting away when the sewing machine is going.

MR: What made you decide to become an artist?

KH: I really don’t consider myself to be an artist, to be honest. I just enjoy doing it. It has always been fun for me, and selling it was a way for me to buy more supplies to make even more.

“Straight On Till Morning”

MR: Would you say that moving around so often has influenced your work?

KH: Yes, because you get to see what everybody likes from different places. Believe it or not, as different as the city is from the country, people still like a majority of the same things, especially when it comes to artwork.

MR: What is your favorite medium to use?

KH: I use clothes; practically anything I can use as fabric. I started using ties when my father passed away from breast cancer eight years ago, he had a tie collection and I was largely responsible for his tie collection after he passed because I loved them. I couldn’t wear them, but I still thought they were fun to help him collect. When he passed away, I ended up with his entire tie collection and started by making all of my brothers and sisters pictures out of his shirts and ties. So every person that buys a picture gets a piece of my dad and me. That, I guess, is what started it all.

“Vanity”

MR: Where do you get a majority of your ties?

KH: I’ve used up all of my father’s ties, but I get them from everywhere. People know that I’m avid about yard sales, thrift stores, Goodwills, Salvation Armies; anywhere I can get a used tie at! I make sure to get ties that were used because my dad wore all of his. I don’t use any new ties. I’ve used only one new one that someone had as an extra from a wedding, but other than that, they are all used. And you’ll even see the stains on them, just like I get them.

MR: Upcycling is currently a trending art form. Would you say that you have you always been ahead of the times with the upcycling movement?

KH: Way before they had a name for it, I have been doing it. I have been making the tie pictures for years now. Before that, I would use people’s old clothes for quilting. I would frequently make teddy bears out of someone’s favorite shirt after they passed away for their family. I’ve always used recycled stuff; I like it for some reason. It’s something that somebody would have rather thrown away, and I can use it and turn it into something else amazing.

“Iron Man” and “Captain America”

MR: Do you feel differently today about throwing away things than you did 10 years ago?

KH: No, I’ve always had trouble throwing things away. I always have. As far back as I can remember I’ve always tried to see what else I could use things for. My mom used to yell at me for throwing stuff in my room because I could never throw any of it away.

MR: My art is unique from others because…

KH: I don’t make it to match your living room; I make it to make you smile. I definitely don’t make it for the masses, my art is very different, and the ties make it even more different. They’re conversation pieces, they’re there just to make you smile. That’s it.

“Charlie Chaplin”

MR: Is there anything that inspires you when creating your art?

KH: Other people’s artwork. My sewing room is filled with other artists’ work. At a lot of the shows I go to, I trade with other artists. I love to see their stuff. I love anything that anybody else creates.

You can find Horne and her upcycled work at Downtown Phoenix’s First Fridays.

“Just Because She’s Pretty”