Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathryn Crenshaw- David.
Kathryn, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
What really got me interested in art was growing up in my father’s Comic Store, Big D Books, and Comics. Every Saturday, I would spend the day there with a pile of comics and some sandwiches, and I fell in love with artists like Stan Sakai, Bill Sienkiewicz, Bob McLeod, Ramona Fradon and many more. Some of my earliest art is actually copies of panels from Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo. My father saw my interest in art and started bringing me comics drawn by women, like Colleen Doran, so I knew comic art and illustration was a viable field for women as well as men.
I always drew as a hobby, but as I was leaving Middle School, the art teacher saw some work I had and pulled me aside to say I had real talent and ability, and he was sorry I had never taken art classes while in middle school, but I should consider them in high school. That small moment of encouragement stayed with me, and I entered art classes in High School and then entered pursued a Painting and Drawing Degree from UNT.
I was still hesitant to see my own potential, but at a convention comic artist Micheal lark looked at my own drawings and said there was no reason for me not to be selling at shows. So, in 2009, with help from my parents as a Christmas Gift, I bought my first table and began to sell my art seriously. That year, I also began to develop my own Web Comic, combining my love of art with my love of history. It was a personification of the states that I used to tell stories about (or make fun of ) US history, especially parts not typically covered in school. I got cold feet though, because of the political climate and the frequent extreme backlash women creators faced online; however, in 2014, I found all my old notes, did some re-vamping which I feel vastly improved the comic, and officially launched State of Disunion Feb 2nd, 2015.
It has been ongoing since then, with some bumps and bruises from life here and there.
And I have continued to sell comics and art zines in shows ever since 2009, building up a small following.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
My main creation right now is my ongoing Webcomic State of Disunion. It is a webcomic in which I personify the different states, territories, and Native Tribes of the USA and use them to tell humorous (or sometimes not so humorous ) historical stories.
I am a huge fan of history, and I feel it is unfairly maligned as a boring subject simply because of the emphasis our education puts onto dates and names over actual historical impact. Learning real history explains so much of where we are as a nation now and the struggles different groups have had, but I felt that often gets glossed over in classes.
I wanted to share what I have learned in a way that would be fun and accessible, my webcomic, State of Disunion, became my vehicle for that. I hope people find it funny and interesting, but I also hope people come away learning something about our history they didn’t know before.
As for art not related to my webcomic, I am a big proponent of simply enjoying art. I feel there is a message in the art world that only tragedy or anger are valid artistic messages, and that anything positive or happy is somehow cheap or cheesy. I feel not only is that unfair, it is damaging. So I make art that I want people to enjoy, and to feel happy when they see it.
That said, I am also a huge horror fan, so I do enjoy the occasional extremely creepy piece of art, often based on my night terrors.
Artists rarely, if ever pursue art for the money. Nonetheless, we all have bills and responsibilities, and many aspiring artists are discouraged from pursuing art due to financial reasons. Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share with prospective artists?
Do not be ashamed to have a job that pays the bills. There is this thought that you are not a “real” artist if you don’t support yourself 100% with art.
However, in today’s economy, especially if you have a family to support, many artists have a day job. There is nothing wrong with that. I have one myself so that my family is able to comfortably have health insurance.
What I do is make sure I get in at least 30 minutes of art practice a day. Even if it isn’t anything I will ever show, it is still practice, and it keeps my art skills sharp.
There are also, thanks to the internet, huge amounts of free tutorials out there. I have found tutorials to help me as I venture into digital art, lots of refresher courses in watercolor, and even timed figure drawing sites.
For a cash-strapped artist, these free resources are fantastic, and even if you don’t have the internet at home, you can always access them at local Libraries for free.
But most of all, don’t compare yourself to someone who does not share your situation. I will sometimes get down on myself because my webcomic output does not match my friends, and then a remember they are not married with a toddler, nor working a second job. My output is what it is to fit the demands of my life, and there is nothing wrong with that. Comparing yourself to someone in a different situation is a sure way to hold yourself to impossible standards and be unfair to yourself.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
My art can bee seen on the internet. I have my webpage
http://galacticdustbunnies.com/
My Webpage for my Webcomic is currently on Tumblr:
http://stateofdisunion.tumblr.com/
And I post frequently on my social media sites on instagram and Tumblr:
http://galacticdustbunnies.tumblr.com/
https://www.instagram.com/galacticdustbunnies
Reblogs on likes on my social media sties will help promote my work and that is perhaps the best thing anyone can do for me for free.
As for buying my artwork, I sell at many local shows. Notably the Dallas Fan Expo Shows, North Texas Comic Con, and sometimes the Dallas Comic Show. It can vary from year to year what shows I am at, depending on availability. I will announce on my sites which I will attend and that is the best way to buy my work.
I do also take personal commissions for my abstract art and portraits.
Contact Info:
- Website: GalacticDustBunnies.com
- Email: kcrenshaw.designs@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/galacticdustbunnies
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Galactic-Dust-Bunnies-150454461648943/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/dustbunnyart
- Other: http://stateofdisunion.tumblr.com/
Image Credit:
Kathryn Crenshaw- David
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