Today we’d like to introduce you to Kat Warwick.
Kat, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
An amazing life is what I live. Sure there are challenges, but those challenges seem to lead to more adventure.
A lifetime of playing around with hobbies that I love, helped me reinvent myself in 2008 after corporate America didn’t seem to want me anymore. Teaching dance turned into my new career and after a few years I was able to focus on starting an art career. A few years later after a lot of hard work, amazing amounts of help and support from friends and family, 3 successfully produced shows, and lots of lessons learned, I opened The Art Life Way!
I am an immerging artist carving a new path for myself as each day comes. I’m excited to see what’s around the bend and I hope to meet all of you along the way!
Like many artists, I have always created sculptures and paintings. I have a bachelor degree in Fine Arts with a focus in advertising. Of all the art disciplines, sculpture was what I loved the most. I did not choose an artistic career in the first 30 years of adulthood. Simple fear and lack of art business knowledge kept me from pursuing the fine arts as a career. Also, I did not have the right temperament for advertising.
So, I worked in the printing and cast stone industries. My artistic nature was a huge help when working with clients in these industries as I could sketch out their ideas and educate them about their choices. With those skills I was able to become a valuable sales professional.
During those years, I volunteered my artistic skill to help Boy Scout Troop 1 in Duncanville with artistic merit badges and their fund-raising project Reindeer Manor Haunted House. When that chapter of my life closed I began assisting The Dallas Swing Dance Society with creative projects. In my mid- to late 40’s I returned to school to learn lost wax bronze casting, began stone carving and developed a unique painting style. Full of hope I launched my first art business, Denzler Art Studio. As with many first attempts at business, I lacked the time, knowledge and skill to run an art business while holding down a full-time day job and the business never thrived and mostly whimpered to an end.
My day job in Architectural Stone sales was thriving until 2008. Along with many folks across the country I was laid off. (6 months later my husband was laid off as well, yikes!) I was not able to find another job in my field or my skill set of making sales by educating and collaborating with clients. That set of events was my silver lined cloud.
A dear friend hired me temporarily as a dance instructor so that I would not lose our house. (the dance story is interesting as well) Well that Temp job became my new permanent employment. Teaching Dance at night and on the weekends, allowed freedom during the day. So….
In my early 50’s I realized I was perfectly set up to begin focusing on my love of art. I went back to school in 2013 choosing the Creative Arts Center of Dallas (CAC) for Stone Carving and Figurative Clay Sculpting education.
In 2013, during my first year of taking CAC classes. I produced two one-woman/one- night art show events. In 2015 I produced my 3rd one-woman/one-night show. these first 3 shows included wine, snacks, music and space for dancing. They were not just art shows they were fun events and guests would stay till the end.
In 2015 in order to fund a series of bronzes I turned to Go Fund Me and created a “Bronze Musician Series” campaign. The goal was $15,000.00 to create 4 different musicians each one being a limited edition 10 pieces. This was a successful campaign and I began producing bronzes from clay originals.
In 2016 I produced my 4th one-woman/one-night show and challenged myself with a unique event title. One Artist – One Hundred Sculptures. I started promoting the show prior to having 100 sculptures to put in the show. That personal challenge was specifically designed to train myself to work under pressure. It was also designed to help me discover if I had (or didn’t have) what it takes to begin showing at weekend art festivals. With the help of some dear friends, the event went perfectly. It was catered with wonderful food, there was a wine and chocolate tasting bar, live music, room for dancing, and yes, 100 sculptures in Bronze, Stone and Terra Cotta Clay were on display.
These four, one-woman/one-night shows, sales averaged at about 40% of work offered for sale, sold and went home with new owners! My clients were mostly friends, friends of friends, family and dancers and they showed me lots of love, encouragement and support.
In 2016 I began entering juried art festivals and shows. I learned how to pack & ship my work to out of state exhibitions as well as make safe road trips to deliver/pick up work in neighboring states. I learned how to handle the disappointment of not being accepted into shows. I learned the joyful excitement and fear of being accepted into shows and purchased a show tent and supplies for showing at festivals.
Between July of 2016 and April of 2017 with 3 art festivals, 3 art exhibitions, 1 “on loan” showing at a museum and a 3rd place award added to my resume I learned a very valuable and challenging lesson. Art that the general public loves to look at, does not equate to art that they will purchase.
I am currently converting my garage to an art studio so that I have more room than the corner of the dining room. I am learning to cast small bronzes, and am continuing to carve stone and sculpt terra cotta clay. I am currently accepting commissions for the holiday gift giving season.
So my journey continues from here as I continue to enjoy my strengths and learn how to overcome new challenges.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
“If someone told you you could not fail, what would you do today?” I wish I knew who to credit for this life changing quote. This statement helped me make the decision to follow my artistic dreams and keeps me going.
The road is neither smooth nor bumpy… it is the road, full of character, full of lessons, with all the ups and downs and curves that an adventure should have.
Challenges help make me stronger and help me grow. Here are a few of the big ones:
1) Learn to create a line of sculptures that I’m proud of and that provides a consistent income stream.
2) Find professional representation through an agent or find galleries and museums to carry my work.
3) Continue to learn experiment and expand my artistic voice to create lasting works that are meaningful to me and to today’s diverse population. This includes creating work that speaks of today’s joys and challenges to viewers hundreds of years from now.
4) Expand my client base and circle of influence.
Please tell us about The Art Life Way.
Telling life stories one sculpture at a time. That’s what I do. I interpret what I see in life and recreate it in a gestural realism style. I also accept commissions, creating sculptures through my client’s eyes.
Terra Cotta Sculptures: Portraits of our lives are revealed in sculptures of normal people in their everyday activities. The sculptures invite the viewer to look closely, past the stereotypes, and into the heart and soul of the human experience.
Bronze Sculptures: Focusing on Jazz and Blues Musicians. My love of dance has lead me to many a late night dance adventures and when I’m too tired to dance any more I watch the amazing musicians. Their interaction with each other, their stage face joys and their silent struggles come alive in these 4 limited editions. Friday Night: Trumpet, Buskin’: Sax, On Cue: Stand Up Base, and Steadfast: Guitar.
Stone Sculptures: Smooth curves guided by the stone itself become impressions of the animal kingdom. Each stone has its own idea of what it will become in this artist’s hands. It is up to me, to listen to the stone, and sculpt with careful hands and an open heart.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I were to start over… I would try to figure out how to afford to hire the business help I need. I would like to hire an accountant, a small business lawyer, and an art business advisor/agent. These are areas that are not strengths of mine.
I believe in hiring folks who are strong in areas where I am weak. To provide employment for others is one of the greatest things we can do for our fellow man. Perhaps one day I will be able to do that.
My philosophy on things that don’t turn out as well as I would like… “It’s not failure, it’s a lesson.” It’s just a little saying I came up with to help me through what would otherwise be discouraging times.
Pricing:
- Terra Cotta Price Range $15.00 to $850.00
- Stone Carvings starting at $1200.00
- Limited Edition Bronze Musicians $4,750.00
- Commissions welcome $150.00 and up.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theartlifeway.com
- Phone: 469-708-2780
- Email: kat@theartlifeway.com
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
