Sit Down With Our #090 Featured Artist

Cat

Instagram / @karo.line.art
Featured Artist / #111 ScrawlrBox 

I’ve been drawing as long as I can remember. A lot of people still ask me if I have gone to any art schools and the answer is, yes! I’ve been to multiple, each had their quirks, but at some point I felt a bit too restricted. I painted or drew only what I saw. So that is when I decided to experiment on my own and create things I can’t in art school.

A big thing I encourage people is to create with joy. I know it’s easier said than done sometimes, but I think exploring silly ideas or just something you like can be so much fun! That’s why sometimes I create snail croissants, since it popped in my head and I though that it could look funny! It can be as simple as that! Of course sometimes I create pieces with more meanings or stories and I love that too. I just love how art can be so expressive and so bendable that we can create anything, just have to think about it!

111.png__PID:04db0703-d470-4ec9-8a98-fb4b0a518e60
111 32.png__PID:0703d470-6ec9-4a98-bb4b-0a518e6056a9

We adore your style, your creatures you create a so wild and wonderful- where do you find ideas for your style of work?

Guess I draw inspiration from anywhere, anything that brings me joy or intrigues me. If I find a color I like, I’ll use it in my next painting. Sometimes, it feels like there are two voices in my head. For example, one might see a mountain, and the other will say, “Add millions of birds in different colors, and that will be your next piece!

Do your creations have a story behind them?

Yes, most of them do. The concept often forms either before I start the piece or while I’m creating it. I love adding some poetry behind my work, but I also enjoy creating pieces that are simply cute and don’t mean anything at all. The most important thing for me is what the viewer sees, as it might be something else entirely.

Of all the paints, why is gouache one of your favourites?

Gouache is incredibly versatile, allowing me to experiment and providing a great sense of freedom. I love the textures it offers, as you can easily manipulate the thickness to achieve various effects

When did you first discover gouache?

I think when I was twelve. However, I had to move away from it in school because the preferred medium was watercolours, which never really appealed to me. Eventually, I rediscovered it and have been enjoying it ever since.

Do you find there are any other mediums that pair well with gouache? Yes! I love mixing mediums.

Yes! I love mixing mediums. Sometimes I combine gouache with acrylics, and people ask if that’s okay. As an artist, I believe it’s fine to experiment and bend the rules a little. It’s just a matter of understanding how the paints will interact. And I also frequently use coloured pencils to add an extra pop of colour to my gouache pieces.

Do you ever take breaks from being creative?

Of course, I cannot create all the time even though I wish I could. It is very important to step away from the creative space to fuel the mind and give it some time to experience something else.

Is there a genre of art that most inspires you?

I do not know for sure. People inspire me, but I think since I am so curious of the world around me I can’t pinpoint just one or two things. I create from the small details that I see around me.

Do you have any hobbies or does your art take up all your brain space?

I am trying really hard to not make it my hobby. It is fun, but I am looking for other things to do, like learning the guitar or anything else where I can move my hands and have fun with it!

What do you enjoy most about painting?

The silence. To me its like meditation. I take my brush and the thoughts start to fade away. Its a great way for me to know if I am in a good space to paint, because if something is still bothering me I have to take a different kind of break or I feel the piece might not turn out the way I want.

All of your work is so colourful and striking, how do you pick a colour palette to work with?

I usually pick three main colours. Those really depend on my mood or what I have seen that day. Maybe I saw a nice flower and liked the colours, so I take them as inspiration. Or it can be very simple, where I just want to include green and see where I go from there, what colours to add to it.

If you could meet any artist, past or present, who would it be?

I think it would be Aaron Blaise. He is an animator and I almost had the chance to meet him. I love the way he makes his creatures so expressive and warm. His art has some kind of kind radiance which I love.

What does your work space look like?

I could say it is clean, but when I start working it looks like a hurricane went through. I have a big table and the funny thing is I need a bigger table... I love when things can be reached by hand so I don’t have to get up to get anything.

ScrawlrBox #111
ScrawlrBox #111
ScrawlrBox #111
ScrawlrBox #111
ScrawlrBox #111
ScrawlrBox #111
ScrawlrBox #111
ScrawlrBox #111
ScrawlrBox #111
ScrawlrBox #111
ScrawlrBox #111
ScrawlrBox #111
ScrawlrBox #111
ScrawlrBox #111

ScrawlrBox #111

£25.95

Grab onto your paints and brushes we’re heading into an alternate reality where everything may not be as it seems… This months box was all about channelling the fictitious and get creative in the way that only exists in your imagination. Inside this box you will find a set of 3 Winsor & Newton gouache paint tubes, Scrawlr ‘cats tongue’ paint brush and a high quality cold pressed watercolour paper pad.