Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathryn Renee.
Kathryn, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
The desire to work as a fine artist has been with me all my life. In fact, I’ve been told that I declared to my mother at age four, “I’m going to be an artist when I grow up!” Years later, after graduating college with a bachelor’s in art, I accepted a position working as a teacher at a private art studio. It didn’t take long for me to learn that I wanted more out of my career and my art. So, I enrolled in seminary. My time spent in graduate school greatly influenced the direction of my painting and after completing my degree, I turned my attention towards creating a series of paintings that has since become the defining work of my life thus far.
For the past 10+ years, among part-time jobs, marriage, moving, and starting a family, I’ve steadily worked to hone my skills and build a library of paintings that have collectively become known as the ‘Tales of a Ragged Doll.” The unifying thread between each piece is the belief that we humans are, to varying extents, broken. And that our brokenness is the very thing connecting us to each other and revealing to us our essential humanity.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As with most things in life that are worth pursuing, the road is filled with obstacles and challenges. Ten years represent a significant period of time and for me, included many of life’s “big decision” moments. When I decided to marry and to have children, I knew I was choosing the longer road. With each embrace of life’s messier aspects, I was consciously deciding to live life alongside the pursuit of an artistic career. For a creative, resources like time, space, and energy are invaluable, and often limited. So, while we all wish to have the ample flow of income, large light-filled studios, and limitless time and energy to create, life has a way of stalling efforts and throwing curveballs. Personally, I have adopted the mentality of the tortoise: slow and steady wins the race. There will be seasons in life that make creating harder or easier, but I am determined, compelled even, to never stop pursuing the divine call to create.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a fine artist, specializing in traditional oil painting. The best genre to describe my artwork is likely pop surrealism or low-brow art. Most often I employ classical realism techniques- the layering of values and colors- but the subject matter is decidedly not classical. I paint characters that are somewhat akin to rag dolls and stuffed toys. These characters are avatars; representing real people or an amalgamation of real persons. Each piece of artwork depicts a story and I often refer to the finished pieces as a form of visual storytelling. Put together, the artwork makes up a collection entitled “Tales of a Ragged Doll.”
In full disclosure, I struggle to describe my art to people who ask after it. Ragdolls and stuffed toys are not the usual subject matter for ‘serious’ artists. Upon saying that, however, my decision to use them is very intentional. The ragdoll poignantly represents what I believe we would all look like if we wore our journey on the outside. Everyone has a story. These stories are full of joy and heartache, pleasure and pain. They are unique to us and simultaneously universal. They connect us to each other, even when our circumstances vary. The truth is, we are all broken and in various degrees of healing. My interest is to paint these masks and scars and patches and haphazard replacement parts in an effort to bring into the light that we which all try to hide, cover-up, avoid, but which binds us to our neighbors and comprises the bulk our humanity.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Looking back is an effort undertaken with precaution. The past can hold slippery slopes for us in terms of thought patterns and trauma. At the same time, it is vital in our ability to move forward. There is great opportunity to learn from our past and our dark times. Those lessons can aid us in our present struggles and future endeavors.
For me, my only regret is that I didn’t apply myself more vigorously to my work at a younger age- when I had more time and energy! Otherwise, my advice for those starting out is: work hard and give yourself grace when needed. Do the intense labor of finding your voice in the world, so you know what you are about and what you are communicating through your art. Be courageous when looking inward, be honest. Creatives work from their soul. A well-grounded identity and abundant self-awareness serves your artwork just as much as your skill and talent.
Contact Info:
- Email: Kathryn@katrenee.com
- Website: www.talesofaraggeddoll.com
- Instagram: @katreneestudio
- Facebook: @katreneestudio
- Twitter: @katreneestudio
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCJzsXJ2hsJqhXk1vZIdKnSw
Image Credits
Morgana Wingard
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