Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaitlin West.
Kaitlin, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama and lived there until I graduated from Samford University. Birmingham has a special place in my heart and always will. When I was growing up, I was introduced to art by my grandmother, who was also an artist. Art has always been apart of my life, but it became a focus when I decided to change my major to Fine Arts in my sophomore year of college. Growing up, I was heavily involved in athletics and was on Samford University’s track team. Initially, my major was athletic training; it felt like the natural next step. However, that changed after I took an elective art class. After taking that class, I decided to pursue my passion for art, and I changed my major to Fine Arts. In the spring of 2019, I graduated from Samford University with my Bachelors in Fine Arts. After graduating, I moved to Texas to attend the University of North Texas. I am currently in my first year of graduate school in pursuit of my Masters of Fine Arts in sculpture.
Has it been a smooth road? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Being a sculptor makes you good at solving problems. Each project comes with its challenges, and with those challenges come both successes and failures. But you learn from both, and that pushes you to try new things. As an artist, I have an innate need to create, and it is something I will always do. Even though this has not been a smooth road, I feel like this is the road that I should be on.
Tell us about your business/company. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?
A large part of my creative process involves going out into the community and taking photographs of places that inspire me. I then incorporate my photography into my work. I use a gel image transfer process to transfer images onto different objects like Plexiglas, cardboard, or concrete. When transferring the images, I aim to bring my two-dimensional photographs into three-dimensional space. I do this by playing with perception and space. Recently I have been using these processes to explore personal space and our perception of the world around us.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Along with art, athletics has also always been apart of my life. In high school was on track, basketball, and volleyball teams, as well as competing in competitive travel summer leagues. During college, I was a colligate javelin thrower on Samford’s University track team. Being a collegiate athlete and an artist was extremely challenging. These two interests require a lot of time, sacrifice, and discipline. I feel these qualities are shown through my art. Being an artist requires you to give up certain things and also involves a lot of self-discipline.
Contact Info:
- Website: kaitlinwest.net
- Phone: 205-919-0751
- Email: kaitlinwest33@gmail.com
- Instagram: @Kaitlin.West.Art
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