ARTIST INTERVIEW: KAT - GENTLEINK By Abstract-Media
How would you describeyour style of artwork?
To summarize, my artwork usually has somethingto do with sacred geometry, dotwork, and or traditional eastern art. Occasionally I do work influenced by traditional American tattoos. I’m not actively focusing on any particular style over another; my focus lately has mainly been the creative process itself. Of course, imagery I’m drawn to will be what manifests most regularly, incidentally creating a theme for my artwork.
Do you use any programs such as Photoshop in your workflow?
I often use Photoshop in creating sketches of my mandalas or even fleshing them out, for the purpose of symmetry. It doesn’t give you a creative edge by any means (like some may believe), just speeds up some of the workflow basics. Photoshop has been my go-to for brainstorming and more for many years. It can be an effective and refreshing tool if you are stuck by the limitations of a traditional medium you’re using.
What sort of steps do you go through when working on your artwork?
I usually sketch out an idea that comes to me and go back to flesh it out later, deciding what medium is best and try to be aware of whatever thoughts, feelings or memories might have influenced it. If there’s artist’s block, I go through previously created mandala mockups and choose one to stipple. It’s a pretty simple process.. My current endurance for keeping a certain level of awareness & calm up for long periods of time (without getting mentally knotted up about the results) of my artwork is minimal. That’s the reason why a lot of my recent work is small- the second I notice that I’m getting out of touch with myself, I put down the brush. It’s sort of like a self-proposed endurance training, but it’s given me new found meaning in my creative process.
Would you consider yourself as part of the art itself? Or are you strictly behind the scenes?
I think most artists are part of their work, whether they intend to be or not. What the artist’s influence, state of mind, consuming neurosis (etc.) was at the time of creating it is another factor of how the artwork is perceived. Perhaps the artwork can speak for itself, but it’s given that life because it is the projection of the artist on canvas. I’m including myself in this: I don’t think you can separate the artist from the art. One is just an extension of the other.
Are you working on any projects right now? What should we expect next from you?
I’m working on stippling small mandalas, many of which were created last year. Recently, I’ve been enthralled with flowers so there is surely more of those to come. There’s a few tattoos I need to finish, so you can expect to see more of my hand-poked work in the next few months.
What/who inspires you to create your artwork?
I can write out artistic influences, but I feel that might be a moot point. If I’m being honest, my main inspiration to create comes from my wish to explore and understand my mind and heart better. For me, creating artwork is a tool that just happens to uplift others in the process- which is really marvelous if you think about it! That in itself is pretty inspiring for me to keep going.
What would you like to be doing in your field of artwork in the next 5-10 years?
I would like to more seriously get into hand-poked tattooing, even though there are few professionals in the US and what appears to be a limited demand. I’ve been licensed to tattoo for a while, but am just busy enough that tattooing regularly is difficult. It’s a goal for me because it’s a means to connect with others through my art, to explore vulnerability and pain a little, and to hopefully give someone something more than just a nice tattoo.
It would be wonderful to teach basic meditation classes in the future. Thinking about that possibility is really heart-warming for me. My planning in the meanwhile simply consists of focusing on my own meditation practice, as that is the basis of any good instructor.
What advice do you have for anyone looking to get started in a similar field of work?
For traditional artwork, I would say not to focus on realistic rendering of pretty photos, celebrities etc. It might get you a lot of attention online, but there is so much more to creating than just technical skills. At the very least, take your own photos to use as reference, or better yet, draw from life! Getting out of your comfort zone is truly the best thing you can do to grow artistically. I’m mainly targeting this towards the multitudes of teenage/young artists on instagram, who are putting in tons of energy recreating things like celebrity portraits in colored pencils.
The only advice I have for hand-poked tattooing & those who will undoubtedly tattoo others without a license is to understand hygiene as it relates to bacteria and blood borne pathogens. I HIGHLY advise to use gloves and sterile (tattoo, not sewing) needles. Ideally at least watch some videos on how to set up and take down a tattoo station to avoid minimal contact with infected surfaces. If you’re tattooing others unlicensed, understand that their health is in your hands, and it’s your responsibility to make sure that you aren’t causing them more harm than necessary. And pretty please, don’t tattoo (or get tattooed for that matter) drunk.
Tell us a little bit about yourself outside of your art, and how you arrived at this point of your artistic journey. Are there any other hobbies or careers are you working on?
Well, I’m in my early 20’s and grew up in NYC, so I was lucky to have always been surrounded by art. I grew up with art being at the center of my life. After a few complicated years, I became disenchanted with contemporary art & my own creative process. I rarely created artwork. After that, Buddhist practice became the center of my life. Now my art is what surrounds my practice, and although I’m still exploring, it feels like two parts to a whole.
As far as hobbies- I work full-time as a digital media editor, so with painting and tattooing, I’ve got enough on my plate!
Thank you for your time! Where should our viewers go to find more of your work or contact you?
My artwork is on instagram: https://instagram.com/gentleink/
& I can be contacted by email at [email protected]
Thank you!
Long time no post. I did a little interview thing.
