The reason I reached out to Kiki @kiki_icky/@whatacumstain (art page) which is who this interview is about. She always posted different works and each of them being something. Which led me to find out that she is an art student. An art student, leading me to reminisce about my art class...my one art class lmao, but it was so enjoyable! It was a break from the psychology courses and philosophy ones. We were doing different assignments that were hands on which excited me. Seeing Kiki's work reminded me of that and it reminded of how much of an advocate I am for hands on engagement in the classroom/outside the classroom.
Before diving into the interview itself here's a little bit about what Kiki has been enjoying as of recently "honestly i’ve been enjoying playing fortnite when i can .. and of course spending time with my friends as much as possible." I've been really wanting to play lego fornite, but I have no idea how to run it? I've been playing Final Fantasy-X and Lethal Company with friends. Kiki continues by giving out a shoutout "huge shout out to my pookies that have been here for me through everything."
NOW we're in the interview. Starting off by asking Kiki to share a little about themselves and the art they create? If they could make up a name for their art style what would it be and why as they state "my name is kiki and I’m born and raised in the valley. currently I’m an art student I do have my associates in criminal justice that’s what I started back in high school but I just I love art so much I’ve always been so passionate about art and that’s why I ended up switching my degree, and I just love learning different mediums and being able to express myself multiple different ways. I really wouldn’t know what to call my art style cause I don’t really feel like I have a set style like I don’t think my style is recognizable, I kinda just do whatever i’m feeling." Ah here's the thing while the "art style" may not be "recognizable" I'd say it is "recognizable" by what you're creating. In a sense you are adding your interests and what you deem to be hmmm cool or fascinating that it captures the eye because its true to you if that makes sense.
Looking through your art page I noticed the varying mediums you worked with. Were these art pieces/projects done as class projects, in your own free time or a little of both? How have you personally enjoyed tackling these various mediums?
"Most of the art projects i’ve posted have been done for class and i’ve enjoyed doing them so much. i love learning new mediums and being able to express myself in different ways. I love experimenting with new mediums, and just going out of my comfort zones with what I’m used to doing and being able to learn different ways to create art." Kiki mentioned "going out of my comfort zone" that's what it's all about. Even if something isn't your forte wouldn't you rather try? I suck ass at collages, but I fucking love em. Just because I'm "awful" at them doesn't mean it's going to hold me back from my personal art projects. When it comes to learning new mediums even if you aren't in any art class or if you're an artist. Whatever the case revolving around art there's amazing workshops happening in the valley that are art based, could try one of those to get out of your "comfort zone."
With the various mediums tackled how do you wish to experiment or continue working with art? "I’ve always been drawn to doing multiple different kinds of mediums ever since I was younger. I remember painting and coloring and doing makeshift arts and crafts like just gluing a bunch of stuff together and making little random sculptures so it’s something I see myself doing for the rest of my life. i know im going to continue to create in multiple mediums because i enjoy all of them so much and i want to get into combining these mediums as well. i want to continuously push my boundaries with my art and show who i am."
I see you have flash sheets? Are you also a tattoo artist?
"I’ve been teaching myself how to tattoo, i really want to get an apprenticeship but right now it’s difficult with school full time and a job. it’s my dream to become an established tattoo artist hopefully i can start that journey when i finish school. I’ve always loved tattooing as an art form and i really want to be able to do that for life." I saw the flash sheets so I was curious. This circles back to "It's something I see myself doing for the rest of my life." To surround yourself with art and the involvement with art and creating. Everything that I see is something new that Kiki has tackled and has created. She mentions "it's my dream" but it feels like with everything she's doing, she's making progress either way by involving herself with these various art forms.
From ceramics, flash sheets, digital art, prints ect what would you say was the beginning of your artistic endeavors into the multitude of mediums you've touched on to this day as she says "back when i was a wee little lad i used to doodle and color all the time as kids do, and i knew from a young age that i loved art. then in highschool i was a tech in theater and i would build and paint sets/backdrops, it was so fun and really fed into how much i love art. i’m very thankful im going to school for art right now because it’s opened the doors for me into creating ceramics, sculptures, printmaking, and more. if it wasn’t for school i honestly wouldn’t be able to create as much as i do." Starting with building backdrops and painting the sets? I've been to a couple of plays, but building the backdrops? That's interesting. It certainly starts somewhere, huh? I was on this question just about how it started for me. What's kept me going for 4 years with this little blog. I guess that's where doing things out of our "comfort zone" comes into play.
When it comes to art is there something about your personal interests/anything about yourself that you implement into your art as she exclaims "my biggest interest is tattooing and you can see that in a lot of the art i create, so many of my pieces can be drawn back into a tattoo design. recently i started getting really personal with my art as well, my drawings and printmaking pieces have been my biggest outlet for the hardships i was going through. i think some of my pieces you can really tell how much pain i was feeling at the time."
With various mediums, has this allowed you to express yourself in more ways than one? "honestly it has because there’s certain things i can only express in 3D works and certain things i can only express in 2D. being able to have multiple outlets for so many different emotions that i go through has been such a huge help in my expressiveness." Honestly I'd say the experience in working with 2D to 3D works has been different. There's a different energy output that goes into 3D I feel like? Maybe that's just me, but I understand what you're saying Kiki.
teeth ashtray. ceramics. 2023
Do you have any favorite pieces or pieces you look back/reflect on? If so which one(s) as she shares by saying "I have multiple favorite pieces, for ceramics i love the heart in spine frame and the teeth ashtray those will always be my favorite, i put so much work into them. i love my printmaking piece titled ‘licking my wounds’, i love how it came out in general and i really like how much detail and emotions i put into it same with all my printmaking pieces." Yeah looking at "licking my wounds" it's literal, but also metaphorically as the saying goes. I was looking at that one before jumping to this question and I feel what really adds to it is the black and white color choice you went for. Honestly, it made me feel sad, but I like it a lot.
What do you personally enjoy about art? "I just love creating, it is so human to create and be expressive. I like being able to express emotions or whatever I’m going through without words. and overall just making cute little things is fun." I'm the opposite, I like to express emotions or whatever I'm going through WITH words, but still making something cute attached to it...mostly heavy on the word part of the piece.
Any final comments you'd like to make?
"I just want to thank you so much for taking an interest in my art and me as an artist, sometimes i feel like a silly joke but i really appreciate that you see there’s more depth to my art. i appreciate that you do this for the artists here. I’m very thankful for where I'm at in life and for everyone that has been supportive of me."
Your thoughts on the art scene within the valley??
"Honestly i’m so in love with the art scene here, there’s so many beautifully talented people and i love seeing their work and learning their stories. there’s so many creative minds in the world and i feel lucky to be around some of them here."
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