those who make: kate kosek

i intended to make this a regular wednesday feature, but here it is only the second week and i'm already two days late! as usual, life has sprung up with its unexpected surprises and we have been busy busy busy. but enough about me - onto today's featured artist - the talented kate kosek.






from kate kosek's isometric harlequin series

i somehow ran across kate on etsy through the circles feature. a recently added friend had added one of her items to their favorites which caught my eye with it's bold graphics and strong color and i immediately ran (clicked) over to check out her shop. when i saw her selection of brightly colored totes and bandannas with patterns which tease the eye - i immediately wanted kate to be the next artist in the series.


installation

kate's artist statement:
To me, art making is an insight into one's mind. When
your thought process compels you enough to create a piece
of art, a powerful force is being generated. On a daily
basis I am surrounded by imagery that inspires the
development of my compositions. I create work that rings
true to the imagery that is conceived in my mind.


party legz

Color theory is a strong visual theme that is apparent in
my work. My chromatic selection is influenced by the
theory of color compression. The layering and
juxtaposition of complementary colors generates an
illusion that brings me sincere enjoyment. Depth and
movement become a possibility on a still, two-dimensional
surface. Color vibration brings a strange comfort and ease
to my eyes, whereas most people become instantaneously
irritated.


karnival kone

Along with color relationships, my work is highly
influenced by pattern and geometry. I have always been
the type of person that bears importance on numbers and
equal distribution. Developing and executing patterns is a
repetitive process that propels me into a state of
meditation. I am at ease when I am repeating line after
line. My passion for geometric shapes is apparent in the
patterns and the division of my compositions. Each
decision is made as if I am solving a puzzle. The end
result of each piece is a testimony to my attempt of
merging differing formal elements into one cohesive
picture.


isometric harlequin series

please enjoy my interview with kate below!

-Name, Age, Location, Websites:
Kate Kosek
24
Albany, NY
www.katekosek.com
www.katekosek.blogspot.com
www.etsy.com/shop/ShadyYouth
www.society6.com/studio/katekosek/

-A few words to describe yourself:
Easygoing, hardworking, respectful, colorful & weird

-Your day job:
I work in an apparel print shop as a manual screen printer.






-A typical day in your life:
I wake up between 6-6:30am and have my drink coffee/stare at the wall time. Then I’ll do some Internet lurking and eat breakfast, pack my lunch and head to work around 8am. I spend my day printing shirts and cracking jokes with a bunch of weirdos. After 8 hours of work, I head home for dinner. Then leave for my studio where I paint the night away until I’m too tired to concentrate anymore. I come home and shower, drink some sleepy time tea and pass out to South Park reruns on TV. So it goes…


crossroadz n harmony

-Top 5 books, movies, songs/bands, food:
Books:
How Soon is Never? - Marc Spitz
Too Much Too Late - Marc Spitz
The World According to Garp - John Irving
The Unbearable Lightness of Being - Milan Kundera
The Boxcar Children - Gertrude Chandler Warner



Movies:
Troll 2
10 Things I Hate About You
Twin Peaks (movie & TV series!)
Grandma’s Boy
Ladybugs




stills from troll 2

Bands/Musicians:
Sonic Youth
Ariel Pink
Lost Boy?
Pavement
Pixies


ariel pink


Food:
Pierogies
Coconut Fruit Bars
Samoas
Sushi
Rainbow Cookies

-Current crushes/obsessions:
I’m obsessed with Op Art & I have a crush on the entire cast of ‘Parks & Recreation’.

-Your vices/guilty pleasures:
Coffee, anything that has coconut in it, Kraft 3 Cheese Macaroni & Cheese Shells, glitter/anything that sparkles, grapefruit cosmopolitans, shoe shopping



-Personal philosophy/mantra or wise words to share:
“Everything happens for a reason”. This phrase helps me to accept the cards that I’ve been dealt, and move on.

"What goes around comes around". I strongly believe in Karma!

-When/How did you first gain an interest in your art?
I was born with an interest in art. I really enjoyed making crafts in school as a child, and I guess that has stuck with me since then.


trance mountain

-What was your first creation?
I can’t really remember my first “actual” creation, but I vividly remember making a “texture book” in pre-school. I am 100% positive that my mother still has it somewhere, and I remember this book included a bear that was made out of coffee grounds.


Julian Stanczak


Kusama

-From what or whom do you draw inspiration from?
There are so many things that inspire me on a daily basis. I’m drawn to anything that has an interesting pattern or an amazing color combination. I’m a big fan of geometry and textiles. Some of my favorite artists are Sheila Hicks, James Siena, Julian Stanczak, & Kusama.




Sheila Hicks




James Siena

-What sort of person do you imagine being drawn to your work? Is that something you think of when you create?
I strive to make art that can be enjoyed by everyone. There is a playfulness to my work that throws away all of the pretentions that conceptual art carries. I believe that everyone has different visual experiences, and I want my work to stimulate such happenings.


sparkle roll

-What are your biggest challenges with your art/craft?
Sometimes I have feelings of unoriginality and sometimes I use too many colors. When this happens, I usually end up painting over sections completely and starting over. I work through many layers until I decide what feels right.


guitar zero


tuna jazz

-What's the importance of handmade to you? Do you feel a part of the DIY movement?
Handmade is the essence of everything that I do. I love people’s handwriting as opposed to computer fonts. It warms my heart to know that there are people out there who still make things by hand instead of relying on machines, it makes things much more personal. I certainly do consider myself a part of the DIY movement. I am the type of person that prefers to do everything by hand, by myself. This obsession is a ritual of my creative process. Plus, I am not very tech savvy but we’ll keep that a secret!


surfin on a yacht


sunrise tote

-Final words or anything else to share?
I am currently working on collaborative drawings/collages with Katty Bouthier, who is an amazing illustrator/person. So keep an eye out for those!
Also, until the end of April I am donating 50% of the profits of my Etsy shop to the American Red Cross Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Fund!


read previous those who make features here!

are you an artist, designer or crafter and want to be featured? send me an email at reoglesby@yahoo.com or convo softspoken on etsy!

luv u

r.i.p, poly.

xoxox.

crushin' yr style: lexy of quirky explosion

since i've been finding the blogosphere a bit uninspiring for quite some time - more and more fashion blogs seem to be about who can snag the latest dress from the latest designer on the latest hottest shopping site or how well your boyfriend can take hazy perfectly framed photos when often if i saw the same outfit on the street i wouldn't look twice - i've decided to go on a search to hunt out guys and gals whose style truly makes me stop in admiration of their actual style, not the quality of their photos or the labels in their dresses or the sponsors in their sidebar, but simply their style and style alone.

first up is lexy of quirky explosion!



from super bright colors to her super bright smile - you'll be hard pressed to find the typical staring forlornly at your shoes blogger pose over at quirky explosion! lexy's photos are full of scrunched-nose smiles and leaps and swingin' hair. enjoy her interview below:

Name, Age, Location, Websites:
Lexy, 17,
Small town Ontario
QUIRKYEXPLOSION.blogspot.com

-A few words to describe yourself:
easily inspired awkward teenager

-Current crushes/obsessions (style-wise or other-wise!):
I go through so many obsessive phases. They don't last long. They kind of just consume my free time, and then I eventually turn to other unproductive means. Currently? Stalking stylelikeu.com, making collages, wearing lipstick during the day, pretending I'm a world-traveler 24/7, Portlandia youtube clips, et cetera et cetera.





-How would you define your style? Is there any one look you tend to adhere to?
Fun, obnoxious, youthful explosion. BAM!

-Any go to items in your wardrobe? Do you have a uniform, of sorts?
I have a uniform. Literally! (Hah. I'm witty*) Five days a week, I get to sport a lovely gray kilt, burgundy tie, and navy blazer. It's good times. Barf. Um, anyways. But in terms of non-uniform dressing (i.e. what you're really asking)... If I'm in a rush, I usually pop on a dress, coloured tights, and a bright blazer. But I have to admit that I'm really bad at dressing under pressure! Haha. I always set my alarm wayyyy early so I'm not in this situation. I feel awful when I don't love the outfit I'm in!
*Attempting to be witty





-Have you always been into fashion? How would you describe the development of your style?
I like the idea of saying "pshhhh, oh yeah, I've ALWAYS loved fashion. Since I was a child, I've always loved to dress up, make jewelry, attempt to master the easy-to-sew, you now... Psh. Yeah." But I'm pretty sure that's just me being a typical little girl, as opposed to a fashionista-in-the-making. But, hey! Whatever works! I've always shopped for my own clothes and dressed myself, so I guess I've lived with the idea of self-expression all my life.



-From what or whom do you draw inspiration from style-wise?
Life :)



-How is your style received when you go out? Have you had any confrontations, positive or negative? How do you handle them?
Beady eyes stare at me. A lot. Personally, it's gotten to the point where it's weird if I DON'T get stares. Most people don't go beyond staring. The people that do come up to me are usually quite lovely. Unfortunately, I'm terribly awkward, so I end up sputtering something like "hahahah oh yeah, GO COLOURS. hahahha." It gives them nice insight into my inner five-year-old. But hey, there's nothing worse than indifference - "People will stare... make it worth their while."



-Personal philosophy/mantra or wise words to share:
Don't take it too seriously! Have FUN! This goes for both life and fashion.



-A typical day in your life:
I wish I could say something like, "Oh, I can't answer this question - there is just NO typical day in my life! EVERY day is different! A new adventure! I don't know what to expect! It's so spontaneous and wonderful."
In reality, it's more along the lines of, "Oh, I can't answer this question - I just don't want to waste your readers' time with my supremely mediocre days." So, you know. You can pretend I'm saving the world or flying to space or something.



-Final words or anything else to share?
I wish more people would smile at strangers... Maybe you guys can?
... Sending out virtual smiles to all :)

thanks, lexy!
know someone with great style who you think would be perfect for this feature? is that person you? either way, send me a message at reoglesby@yahoo.com!

trouser browser

a tad bit hungover and sleepy today, so using my time wisely
to search for the perfect pair of trousers.

wants:
-high waist with pleated or paperbag detail
-peg leg/tapered leg
-shade of tobacco or light grey

asos seems to have the best selection, though i do wish they would mention more measurements, particularly the rise, so i can tell just how high waisted they are.

contenders:







i think the last pair's my fave, though of course, the most expensive too.

gonna check the thrift this week, but any other online leads are certainly welcome. now off to buy a new bra since our new pup has chewed all but one of mine to bits. it's the only bad thing she really does, so i'm not complaining too much - just no more carelessly tossing them on the floor before bed. of course my bright hot pink one is the final survivor and just not as practical for everyday wear as i'd like.

xoxox.

late bloomers

today, instead of doing a million other things i really need to do, i made this music video for my ol' man's song. mostly because i've been thinking a lot lately of how much of a late bloomer i actually am myself and also because i've been wanting to play with video for a while now.

lately i kind of feel invisible on the internet.

attacked

those who make: leah reena goren

i think the first time i saw leah's work was when a photo of this cat dress was being reblogged around tumblr. i think i even reblogged it myself. in fact, i know i did because there's pretty much no chance of me passing up anything kitty + amazing dress related. however, it wasn't until quite recently that i became fully aware of leah's shop and the wealth of amazing things she creates.







from leah goren lookbook of three block printed shirts on the theme meat.

leah's work, with its florals and pretty girls and prints of shoes and dresses, is seemingly innocent at first glance - but when looking deeper one starts to notice a certain look in the eyes, a little bit of loneliness in the crowd, a quiet gaze that speaks of worlds beneath the pretty surface. a world that is occupied with all the trials and self-reflection and despair that comes with youth and the hardships and sadness of growing up - the use of pattern often complimenting the emotion portrayed, sometimes open and free and others tight and confined, yet always beautiful.









leah lists among her favorite artists maira kalman, leanne shapton, sonia delaunay, richard diebenkorn - all of whose influences you can catch slight glimpses of in her work. the bittersweet sentiments of everyday life and relationships that kalman and shapton explore with their whimsical styles that hold much deeper meanings. and the serene solitude found in diebenkorn landscape is there too. the strong graphic repeating block shapes of geometric print and color leah uses just as delaunay did with extending her work into textiles. this is isn't to say that leah is simply a mash of her influence as her work certainly stands as something special entirely on its own.










leah was kind enough to agree to answer a few questions about herself and her work. i do hope you enjoy her interview below:

Name, Age, Location, Sites: Leah Reena Goren, 22, Brooklyn, NY, leahgoren.com

I'm a full time Illustration student at Parsons School of Design, and I also work for designer Mary Meyer and illustrator Julia Rothman.





Current Obsessions: Right now, ancient Egypt. I've been watching a lot of PBS specials about it, and I'm ready to go back to the Met soon and look at their collection for the hundredth time. They have these amazing gouache replicas of Egyptian patterns.



egyptian patterns


leah goren ankh dress

I first started drawing and painting when I was really little. My mom is an artist, and we would make really huge acrylic paintings in the back yard when I was little. They were amazing, way better than I am now. I painted my grandma's big brain and gave her dozens of red fingernails.



I have a running list of things I love that inspire me. It's good to look at when I don't feel like doing anything. Some of these things are California, the sun, kid's books, little colored houses, pretty girls, florals, and the future. Some of my favorite artists and illustrators are Maira Kalman, Leanne Shapton, Sonia Delaunay, and Richard Diebenkorn.


maira kalman



leanne shapton


sonia delaunay


richard diebenkorn

I make things mostly because I want people to have beautiful things, and I would be very happy if what I create makes them happy and makes their world look a little better. I focus making things for girls like myself, maybe younger or older, it doesn't matter, but it's who I relate to. I spend a lot of time alone drawing and painting and photoshopping and sewing, and it's so nice to then put what I've made out into the world or on the internet and have girls I don't even know respond. There's this constant dialogue between working in solitude and connecting with other girls, and illustration is amazing because I'm communicating through the images I make.


are you an artist, designer or crafter and want to be featured? send me an email at reoglesby@yahoo.com or convo softspoken on etsy!