Kim Novak says she turned to painting after husband Robert Malloy's death

After losing her 44-year spouse Robert Malloy, Kim Novak is finding comfort in her art.

[{"selector":"#anim-0589fe8d-fb4e-4dab-9756-7b2c81ad9644","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1e38ba35-3205-4ad0-828d-95100daee171","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(119.06354%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5704ffc2-c04b-464d-9874-b0047df57146","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-92de0cbb-7627-4f39-b327-2a1c246dd4f0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] White Frame Corner White Frame Corner

The large-animal veterinarian passed away in 2020 at their Oregon home at age 80.

[{"selector":"#anim-e759ac15-40ab-45e1-9039-457b680dd241","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-23382a96-82a1-4fae-a818-dd2e1ef18d40","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(119.06354%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-25db8147-39db-4222-853e-467b70e28b7b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-58283dd2-0707-43b7-86df-d66691f32f03","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] White Frame Corner White Frame Corner

The 89-year-old first met Malloy in 1974 when she was winding down from her acting career.

[{"selector":"#anim-1b899096-ffa8-4861-8fd5-d68e7d3b0378","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b5f76378-492e-4842-9fa9-1e5b7c4edbd6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(119.06354%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cc6a0ed0-9f1e-4c80-9d64-1fa01c59f275","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ab69d035-629f-48e8-af72-224355d31a90","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] White Frame Corner White Frame Corner

I find my art is very prolific since my husband passed," said Novak.

[{"selector":"#anim-755a74f2-63a9-4b83-9e5a-b18a4c762259","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-24dbe35e-4409-4945-8c14-af7db6ce6583","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(119.06354%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8adba408-4083-45a6-8133-0a2713fa63f8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-16911c95-1608-46e6-a3ce-50722b32b444","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] White Frame Corner White Frame Corner

Novak said painting has made her feel less lonely

[{"selector":"#anim-88205a8c-ba31-4c88-9151-788be3d63c5b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6b4e77d1-2611-46ba-a7f5-134a6855b376","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(119.06354%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bd91a932-58d4-45c2-bcba-42522a71dd41","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-527979de-765d-4118-9b52-51a1a1ae54dc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] White Frame Corner White Frame Corner

"I have a sense of him looking over my shoulder and watching me with that little smile on his face."

[{"selector":"#anim-b0c13713-79e0-4cad-b189-0ec903c9334a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0a68f9db-d6ba-41cd-8148-f72318354ffb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(119.06354%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-73600d8b-dcc2-4fcc-8574-e3efbe507c08","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-19c963eb-0768-4e8e-a89b-913fd7b5a097","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] White Frame Corner White Frame Corner

At the height of her career, in 1966, Novak, once heralded as the top box office draw, said Hollywood farewell.

[{"selector":"#anim-c4f137e1-b74a-499a-996a-1e70d88232ba","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-18d7970e-6f5c-41f2-af3b-18b35ba31917","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(119.06354%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-39e8cf4c-f186-4182-9c56-80fe27a6641e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69b1d2f0-b1f1-4603-a7ba-db9974223a64","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] White Frame Corner White Frame Corner

In 2021 her book "Kim Novak: Her Art and Life," was released, featuring her work and personal reflections from over the years.

[{"selector":"#anim-646a2b95-b104-4535-ae3b-879228df3036","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-27f77267-1d21-45da-bdf5-d4667b88772c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(119.06354%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8b022f0a-c250-48ea-88d6-452d77b2841f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ae07df09-8489-4c7a-8038-04ed5245efb6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] White Frame Corner White Frame Corner

Tarek and Heather Rae El Moussa nee Young reveal the sex of their first baby

Watch my previous story Learn more