Kimmy Hogan, The Digital Artist Who Has Honed Her Five Minute Face

“As a mum of three little boys I don’t have any leisure time in the morning – it’s off to a running start! I usually just do a five minute face (if at all).

While I make sure the boys are getting shoes on and brushing teeth, I like to do a mass house tidy and even a vacuum before we leave the house, which is semi-therapeutic to me as that way I can start the day with everything in its place. I don’t eat breakfast until I get home after dropping the boys at school/daycare/kinder!

I am not into a lot of fancy makeup – I like to keep things really simple.

My everyday quick beauty routine starts with Clinique Even Better foundation, which I like to apply with the Clinique Foundation Brush [Ed. note: discontinued] which gives great coverage and lets me apply makeup really quickly. Then I add Clinique Beyond Perfecting Super Concealer, Clinique High Impact Mascara, and Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil for a minimal brow fill in. If I have time, I like the NARS Satin Lip Pencil in ‘Biscayne Park’, and adore my Perricone MD No Makeup liquid blush for a nice pinky glow. I used to use a loose powder to set my makeup, but I now prefer to look a bit more dewy and natural.

My family endured a very challenging period from 2015 to 2017, and at the time it felt like the traumatic events just wouldn’t end.

I lost my cousin to brain cancer, my uncle took his own life, my boys were hospitalised with terrible bronchiolitis (at one point my then-11-month-old was in the ICU for nine nights), then my mother was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer at the start of 2017. It has been one hell of a rollercoaster but I have come out the other side extremely grateful for what we have, and I know how lucky we are, especially with Mum now in remission after surgery and a brutal 16 rounds of chemo. My little family right now are in an amazing place: we are all happy and healthy and life is pretty great.

I’m not sure I’ve totally overcome what went on during these recent years just yet, but we have coped by all talking a lot, giving each other a lot of family support, and focusing on the positives rather than the negatives. I have learned that no one is immune to bad things happening, and that life is short and can change in an instant. We all need to look around us, grab on to what we have today, and be grateful for it.

I grew up in a small country town in far north Queensland, and it was the greatest upbringing a kid could wish for.

We had total freedom to roam the neighbourhood with friends, go exploring in the cane fields and river, and make our own adventures. We didn’t have a lot of ‘things’, so I think from a young age we had to get creative to make our own fun. I also learnt solid lessons from my parents while growing up: to work hard and to be respectful, grateful, and generous.

My mum taught me to always present yourself nicely, to look ‘put together’ and to make an effort.

And she always made it clear that that didn’t mean being covered in OTT makeup, but using just enough to feel fresh and look alive while still looking like yourself. And she also taught me to always moisturise!

I think women should embrace ageing and the way our faces and bodies change over time.

I personally don’t have a desire to look like I’m 30 for the rest of my life; I’m ok with acquiring the smile lines and things that come along. I find the most striking women are those who are confident to look how they look, unapologetically.

I loathe the concept that people should look ageless, and that a wrinkle should be immediately injected with something. I think looking as natural as possible is so underrated.

I see a trend in people wanting to look like they’ve obviously had work done, rather than go for interventions done tastefully. My wish is for women and girls to feel proud in their own skin and not feel pressured to look perfect for a social media photo.

I had wanted to be an artist since I was a child, but back in those days that wasn’t a ‘viable’ career option.

I loved computers, so did a Bachelor of Communication Design (Graphic Design) where I majored in illustration, and then spent a decade in the advertising industry. My love for art never went away, so I started using my digital tools to draw and create artwork. It has been the most amazing and fulfilling journey.

I feel super lucky to do what I do every day.

From drawing and creating a new range, to doing photoshoots, and also seeing my artwork in people’s homes when they post pictures on Instagram: it’s really such an amazing experience. The worst part of my work now is the admin! I do a lot more admin than creative work and I would like to shift that balance sometime soon.

Digital art can be tricky to understand. I want people to know that while my artwork is created digitally, it is not ‘computer generated’ at all.

I draw all my artworks first in a sketch book to capture shapes and compositions, then redraw it using my digital tools, so the artwork is still very much created by and from my own hand. My pieces are printed in limited numbers on the highest quality materials, and signed and numbered individually, and everything is made to order. Each one really is a labour of love.

I absolutely love clothes. I have a big weakness for them.

I am open to all sorts of pieces, including big flowy dresses, tailored pants, silks, linens, and patterned or plain pieces. I seem to have a palette of colours I go for which are creams, pinks, oranges, and gold. My latest favourite purchases are my Auguste floral dress with puffy sleeves, Primness mustard silk top and pants, Jesse Kamm cream linen pants, and St. Agni cream woven handbag.

It has taken my entire life to figure out my perfect hair regime, which boils down to: don’t touch it!

After years of hot tools (blowdrying and then using a straightener to create waves), I have finally come to embrace my hair in its natural form. I’ve found that the trick to get the best out of your natural hair, without looking like a fuzz ball, is to wash your hair at night. After I wash my hair, before I even get out of the shower, I part it. Next just squeeze it dry with a towel, being careful not to break apart any curls or waves that have formed. I then apply Kevin Murphy Easy Rider wax generously with flat hands, making sure to still keep any pieces intact. Then it’s off to bed, and I wake up to nice natural wavy hair which lasts a good five to seven days!

I never brush my hair – ever. I just give it a good rake with my fingers in the shower when I’m washing. Dry shampoo is also really important and I use it daily to keep the roots looking fresh; I like Seed & Sprout dry shampoo. For any blondies out there, I highly recommend mixing in a pump of pink shampoo with your usual purple shampoo, as it gives it a really creamy natural colour while the purple cuts the brassiness. I use Muvo Ultra Rose Shampoo combined with Kevin Murphy Blonde Angel shampoo, then finish with Kevin Murphy Hydrate Me conditioner.

I’m quite minimal with my skincare, both because I lack time but also as I am very sensitive to products, so I like to stick with what I know works.

I use Clinique Extra Mild Liquid Facial Soap and Clinique Clarifying Lotion every day. I have recently started using the ASAP Advanced Hydrating Moisturiser and ASAP CC Cream.  I also recently made the switch to a natural deodorant by Seed & Sprout, which has stopped my sneezing and the itchiness I get from typical deodorants.

I used to love yoga for its benefits to both my body and my mind but I had to stop going when COVID came along. I haven’t practiced at home, as it’s not exactly a ‘zen’ space with three busy little boys around, so I miss that.

Instead, we have been having lots of outdoor family time, which has ended up being great exercise. We are bushwalking, bike riding and heading to our local park to kick a ball, and running around with the frisbee. I know for a fact that had COVID not happened we would not have been so active outdoors, so I try to be thankful for the positives in times like these.

As well as yoga, I used to enjoy meditating, but it has also gone by the wayside with all of us being at home a lot more. Something I have found myself doing a lot more often, which is very relaxing, is drawing in my sketch book. Flowers and botanicals are my go-to, of course, but I also love drawing and painting portraits and figures.”

Story by Zoe Briggs. Photography by Cricket Studio.