Luckily, when I first moved to San Francisco I met Kat Horn, an artist who just months before me - left San Diego. This upcoming Friday (July 11th, 2008 @ 7pm) she is her first San Francisco opening at Big Umbrella Studios - 906 1/2 Divisadero. Come by for some amazing art, wine, and talented people.
When did you start 'arting' and why?
According to my parents it all began with a box of crayons and I began covering everything in drawings, paper, furniture, myself... so they bought me some art supplies and I've been at it ever since.
Tell the folks where you're from:
I'm from a really small town in Massachusetts, but the town next to us had a thriving art scene with a lot going on. It was a nice balance of country with a pinch of city nearby.
Why did you come to California?
I was living in Flagstaff, AZ right before I moved to San Diego and desperately wanted to be by the ocean again but didn't want to deal with winter back east, so I just kept heading west.
Medium of choice?
My whole life I have been working with charcoal. I like to try and push the boundaries of black and white, the texture of charcoal, and its simplicity. In college I worked as an art model for the art department. After spending countless hours watching people paint me, I decided I wanted to be on the other end and took up oils, which I quickly developed a love-hate relationship with. Painting is something I am continuing to pursue and have a long way to go with my technique. At heart, I will always be a drawer, and I will always go back to charcoal.
How do you think the Art Scene in San Diego could be better?
I think the artists of San Diego need to push harder to get the art scene to take off, it's just hard when it's nice out all the time and the surf is up, there's a BBQ next door, it's so laid back there it's contagious and hard to get anything done because it's so damn nice all the time. I think a few groups of driven people could get some great things happening there and spice up the arts world and bring more into view for the rest of San Diego.
And then you moved to San Francisco, why?
I knew San Diego was not the best fit for me. I still am an east coast girl, I needed a city with a little more intensity, more variety, more history. I was actually tired of it being to damn sunny all the time. San Francisco has all the qualities of Boston that I love, minus all the things I hate about Boston. It's beautiful, eerie, and alive. San Francisco is always moving.
Give us your quick pitch on Big Umbrella:
Big Umbrella Studios has been and awesome experience for me. Three guys who are recent college grads started it up and got together 20 artists looking for a fun, cooperative art environment. The gallery opened this past fall, there is a new show every month. We all share the back portion of the gallery for studio space. It has been so great for me to share the experience with other artists. this is the first experience with a gallery for a lot of us. It's kind of scary putting your work up on display for the first time. There is a lot of excitement here.
And you'll be featuring your art on July 11th, what's the best you could hope for?
To get everything done in time to get a good night's sleep before the show! I just want myself, the other artists (who will also have work up), and everyone who comes by to have a great time at the show and truly enjoy the experience of the art here. Selling art is exciting too, but for me knowing someone loves something I created is a pretty amazing feeling.
Check out this video for some more of Kat, and her work....
Kat also has a birthday at the stroke of midnight on her opening. Come to the gallery and check out her work as well as some of the other amazing artwork these other Big Umbrella members have to offer.