Today we’d like to introduce you to Kylie.
Hi Kylie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
When I was younger, sixteen, I got grounded. Only thing I could do was paint, so my mom took me to the art store to get art supplies. That’s when I found out painting wasn’t just a hobby for me, but a way to express what I couldn’t say in words. I worked hard, got into art school and earned my BFA in Studio Art Painting Concentration. Now I’m in grad school working on my MFA. I got to where I am by having faith in myself, working hard, and pure passion.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Of course there are struggles along the way, and the main thing for myself are all the different opinions and voices in my head. It’s easy to get caught up in what other people think, but there has to come a time where you stop thinking about that, and focus on what you think about yourself.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a painter focusing on women’s bodies and the body-focused repetitive behaviors we fall into when dealing with anxiety and stress. I’m interested in how emotion settles onto the body, how it shapes the way we move through situations, and the little things we do that give our brains a quick hit of dopamine. When any emotion is triggered, our brain’s limbic system fires off psychological responses from the nervous system to prepare the body for action, and I explore that visually through a tradition called Rückenfigur, a German term meaning “figure from behind.” The relationship between mind and body is endlessly fascinating to me. I’m such an empathetic, observant person that I notice these shifts not only in myself, but in others too, and that awareness fuels my work.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I’ve just completed my Candidacy semester in grad school which is a semester of creating a body of work from August to November. Choosing to paint my ladies now causes me to look at people even more closely, like I notice if someone is wearing hair extensions or the color of the center jewel in the ring on your finger. Once the body of work is made, I install it in the art gallery and must pass my oral defense to move forward with the program. Spoiler alert. I passed! My cohort and I will be having our “solo” group exhibition opening on January 16th at Fort Wort Contemporary Arts Gallery to celebrate our hardwork.
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