Kirk Montgomery

Kirk Montgomery is an award-winning artist, illustrator, and graphic designer whose subject matter spans everything from surrealism to pop art and expressionism.

While Kirk has spent many years in Arkansas, he was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from the Maryland Institute College of Art.

Following a distinguished career as an artist and editor at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Cincinnati Post, and the Birmingham Post-Herald, Kirk retired from the newspaper business in early 2020, just months before the pandemic began. Since then, he has been prolific, producing hundreds of works shared widely on Instagram and BlueSky.

Kirk’s signature style draws from a diverse set of influences, including art history, illustration, graphic design, film noir, WPA poster art, and vintage comic books. In his work, he assimilates “high” and “low” art to create something entirely new, ranging from the funny and ironic to the eerie and dead serious.

After decades of working with traditional media, Kirk shifted to digital art several years ago. He continues to be delighted by the results, which maintain the essential handmade look and feel that defines his portfolio.