Culture: Culture? introducing Kelly McKernan..

Wednesday 10 August 2011

Culture? introducing Kelly McKernan..

KELLY McKERNAN

..Today`s feature is on the talented Kelly McKernan. Kelly`s work is feminin and organic, filled with great details. Kelly is telling us about her art and toughts around it today, so enjoy..

..Here it is, your shot of art with Kelly McKernan:

Can you tell the readers a little bit about yourself, name, what country you live in, age etc?

• My name's Kelly McKernan, I'm 25 years old, and I live just outside of Atlanta, Georgia in the USA.

What inspired you to start being creative?

• I have no idea when it started... It would be as far back as I can remember. As a child, I was always drawing, making things, and spending a lot of time with my imagination. I was also pretty shy, so I amused myself with ideas and made up games and stories rather than play with a lot of friends. Somewhere around 8 or 9 years old, I was confident that I'd be an artist when I'd grow up.

Is making art your fulltime job, and if not, what else do you do?

• Once every year or two, I drop everything else and try to make it a full time job, and in between commissions, illustration projects, and selling paintings, it works for a few months or more. But, I usually fall back on keeping a part time job, which is usually in the form of childcare - being a preschool teacher, a nanny, a summer camp counselor or afterschool teacher. I love working with kids and especially teaching.

Have you gone to art school, if yes where did you go and what did you study?

• Yes, I have my BFA from Kennesaw State University. I was in the Fine Arts program and studied Drawing and Painting. I originally went to become an art teacher, but my love for painting took over. I briefly held a double concentration and studied Photography as well, but I wanted to graduate under 6 years, so I finished school in May 2009.

Where do you find inspiration?

• Everywhere! But lately it's been in a model's form, and that's where I've begun. A pose or a look or even the lighting gives me a great start and then the ideas come flowing in. Otherwise, I love words, and I keep a list of interesting and inspiring words in my sketchbook. Most of them end up being titles for my paintings.

Do you have a favorite artist and if so who and why?

• I have a few favorite contemporary artists, and those are James Jean, Joao Ruas, Tran Nguyen, Allison Sommers, Kelly Vivanco, Sam Weber, Mia Arujo... And some of my older favorites are Alphonse Mucha, Arthur Rackham, Aubrey Beardsley, Edmund Dulac, and Margaret MacDonald. I love their styles and content.