Paranormal Artist Profile: Kim Deslandes

There’s a sense of contentment to this piece by Kim Deslandes that is unusual given the decay present. It’s the ghost that really brings it life. These complex relationships are the hallmark of Kim’s work, and a big part of why we love it so much. (… — There’s a sense of contentment to this piece by Kim Deslandes that is unusual given the decay present. It’s the ghost that really brings it life. These complex relationships are the hallmark of Kim’s work, and a big part of why we love it so much. *(Kim Deslandes)*

Paranormal artist Kim Deslandes can thank her background for guiding her towards ghostly photography.

"I am from a small town in South Carolina and had the good fortune to grow up in old homes with grandparents and great-grandparents," she said. "I played in old barns, and always had lots of animals around. Being surrounded by history at an early age guided me toward a degree in Archaeology. I think it also explains my choice of photographic subject matter!"

"I’ve always been fascinated by the camera, and how it can capture more than the eye can see to evoke strong emotion. The advent of digital photography and the ability to manipulate images made it even more possible to bridge the gap between what is seen and what is felt," she added.

It shows in her work, which she describes as “melancholic and dark, but also nostalgic”, not necessarily meant to invoke fright so much as thoughtfulness.

"I don’t see my ghosts as scary," Kim said. "I like to think of them as echoes—friendly ghosts!"

Kim’s work captures the beautiful normality of ghosts. (Kim Deslandes) — Kim’s work captures the beautiful normality of ghosts. *(Kim Deslandes)*

Like many with a background in science who are drawn to the paranormal, Kim has a profound curiosity about the subject, coupled with an optimism that we might someday better understand its nature.

"I am trained in the sciences, but also drawn to the paranormal, especially the concept of ghosts. Science has been able to explain many things that were once considered paranormal. I believe that ghosts and many other paranormal occurrences will be no different. One day we will understand them as 'normal', natural occurrences," she explained.

It was a personal experience that is perhaps most responsible for her interest.

"I grew up in old family houses. When I was a child, I saw something that I could not explain, an apparition. It was a brief glimpse, but I wasn’t afraid of it," Kim told us. "It left an impression on me that has endured all these years."

Makes sense to us. The paranormal is comprised of largely experiential phenomena, and their effects are powerful and far-reaching on the lives of those affected by them.

Kim’s advice for her fellow artists is to “Never think that your art is ‘too strange’!”

Which, if you’re submitting it to us, it never will be.

Fans of the TV show Criminal Minds might already recognize Kim's work.

"Several images from my 'Ghost Stories' series appeared on the TV show Criminal Minds," she said. "Episode 313 'Sick and Evil'. It aired January 30th, 2019."

To find more of Kim’s hauntingly beautiful photography, go to her page in our artist portal, or click here to visit her shop on Etsy.

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