Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristi Abbott.
Kristi, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
From early childhood, I have spent my life traveling between Sydney, Australia and Saint Paul, Minnesota. I was seldom without a book, a Barbie doll and a set of coloring pencils. I was fascinated by art, travel, culture, and making things with my hands from a very early age and chose to study art, theater and design throughout school and university. After a decade in the corporate arena and a graduate degree in Design and an Executive MBA I decided to leave the corporate life for one where I could pursue my true passion – to become a self-sustaining artist.
I know live in the US where I have recently opened my own gallery and studio space, working out of the studio full time and permanently showing my works upstairs in the gallery. I also travel around the country showing my art at art fairs and enjoy greeting old and new guests into my space.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
At first glance my work draws the eye with its vibrant colors and complimentary patterns. Upon closer study, the paper collages reveal their complexity. Built layer upon layer and often containing secondary thematic elements throughout, they often depict beloved icons and landscapes in vivid ways not portrayed before. I love to tell stories in my pieces and research the subject matter thoroughly so that I can create an illustrated and rich story of their life, the scene or the theme that I am creating.
Each artwork contains between 5-150 hidden images relating to that story. I get my inspiration from many places – but mainly from being out in nature, walking my dog and letting my mind wonder. Just like I like to let my mind wonder, is important for the viewer to let their eyes wonder over my artworks to discover different hidden messages the more they look.
Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
I can’t speak to much on this as I have only been doing this for 4-5 years and before that I lived in Australia. I have heard different stories from veterans that have been doing this a while. I know that technology now plays a big role and it helps to be savvy on social media. As far as supporting local artists, please get out to art fairs – meet us, learn about how we make our work, even buy a piece and I promise you it will be so much more treasured for you to own something made by a local artist than something mass produced and readily available!
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
My work is often on show at the Woodlands Waterway Art Festival. I also apply to several other outdoor art fairs across Texas. Check out my events page to view upcoming shows. My online gallery is also a great place to go to view and buy my originals works and reproductions – www.kristiabbott.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kristiabbott.com
- Email: info@madebykristi.com
- Instagram: @kristiartist1
- Facebook: kristiabbott.artist
- Twitter: madebykristi
Image Credit:
Patrick Clancy Photography
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