Artist and gallery owner, Kim Fonder, has turned the vaulted ceilings, cold cement floors and long, white walls of Aberson Exhibits, at 3524 S Peoria Tulsa, Ok. 74105., into a welcoming space for artists to show their work and connect with their audience.
I attended the, two, most recent openings at Aberson Exhibits, November’s artist, John Brainard, and December’s, Romy Owens. Fonder’s approach to gallery openings is “intimate receptions rather than sending out a thousand invites,” which works perfectly with the size of the gallery. 
Kim Fonder and John Brainard at Aberson Exhibits during Brainard's Gallery Opening
At both openings, Fonder worked the room, facilitating conversation and interaction between the guests, artists and art. As an artist, I know how exhilarating and satisfying it is to experience someone else interacting with your work, Fonder, creates this environment for her artists. By intimately interacting with artists, people can be more aware of sophisticated work, and think about acquiring it.
Fonder’s intention with Averson Exhibits is to bring people, that were raised or born here, back and give them “an international space to exhibit their work.” This vision was embodied with November’s opening. John Brainard, is a Tulsa native who now resides in Paris. His work can be seen at abersonexhibits.com.
I caught Kim calling Exhibit “the hobo art gallery,” though this, upscale, space is far from “hobo”. Her and her assistant, Corey, do everything from climbing up on a ladder to change light bulbs to hand writing 600 holiday letters to friends. “Owning your own business is very demanding,” Fonder told me. 
Kim Fonder (left) and her assistant, Corey (right) working hard at Aberson Exhibit
Fonder is a determined, hard working woman who knows exactly what she wants. I had the opportunity to have breakfast with her, without any hesitation or looking at the menu, she spit her order out “I would like two scrambled eggs, hash browns and pancakes.” This is how she approaches her work as well as her life.
As well as owing Exhibit, Fonder is an excellent artist. “I’m also a painter, I can put my work in the gallery, and develop clientele here. It works both ways,” said Fonder. Some of her work is currently shown at Exhibit; the rest can be seen at kimfonder.com.
Fonder, started out as a photographer, “I got a camera in high school from my dad.” She got hooked up with a photography group who encouraged her to participate in a dark room collective.
Fonder got a job with Joseph Gierek. She worked for him for five years.
After working for Gierek, Fonder used her undergraduate in elementary education from Oral Roberts University and Masters Degree in applied behavioral studies with an emphasis in School Psychometry from Oklahoma University. She taught and was a contract school psychometrist. “I was teaching, and in my other time I was painting,” said Fonder.
Fonder, started doing pieces for friends, they would ask her for a specific piece and she would create it. A friend of Fonders, showed her work to some people in New York, as a result, she did a show in New York and another one in Chicago.
Fonder decided to “do art all the time.” In 2008, she opened Aberson Exhibit. “Little did I know how much more I would work.”
Fonder, told me, “I don’t like to do things for long periods of time, I think that the art situation affords you a lot of different options.”
Fonder now uses organic materials for creating her pieces of art. With some education in interior design, Fonder not only fabricates hanging pieces, but also some furniture, which can be seen on her website.
A painting from Kim Fonders most recent collection, Alchemy
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