Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Kontrimas.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Alexandra. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My mother is a self-taught artist and she nurtured my creativity and artistic expression from the beginning. My sister and I were given access to all sorts of art supplies and the freedom to explore with them. She would help me accomplish the different ideas I would come up with. As a child, I was also stubborn about my creative expression. I recall one of those rare snow days in Texas. I had been playing dress up and was wearing a blue dress and fairy wings, and my mom wouldn’t let me go outside unless I changed clothes and put on a coat. So, I stayed in my fairy wings and watched my mom and my sister play in the snow from behind the window. Or when I wanted to create a product called “It’s sunny but it’s raining” where my little sister was singing & dressed in a raincoat & umbrella (I was special effects with the hose creating the “rain”) and my mom filmed. My mom decided to cut to me and my special effects and I was pretty upset about it. I thought that this behind the scenes cut would ruin my production. I was probably about 6 years old. Needless to say, I have never liked being told how to express myself.
I then began a long bout of Catholic education which I did not respond well to. It was very rigid and contrary compared to freedom and creativity I had become used to. My favorite forms of self-expression – visual arts and clothing were extremely policed. I also was put into competitive swimming at a young age, and so free time became limited as well. For me, ages 6-21 were pretty stifling. I did find some artistic freedom in a few of my art classes and took art as an elective every chance I got. One of my high school art teachers, Terry Suprean, gave us a lot of freedom to create and explore the content we wanted, and that was a blessing. He also introduced us to subjects like graffiti and street art which are often left out of art education.
Somehow art school never seemed like a good fit for me. It felt like it came with too many rules about what art is and how to make it. So, when it came to college I gravitated towards where I found beauty and got a bachelor of science in biology. I don’t think there’s anything more creative than life itself. At this point, I had also been training capoeira for a few years, and one year before school started, I took a trip to Salvador Bahia for an event celebrating my mestre’s 50 years of capoeira. Wow, the colors, smells, music, food, and pace of life shook loose all the dust that had been collecting on my creative practice. When I returned home, I started painting again with a reignited passion. Around then, a friend introduced me to Skeez 181 who acquainted me with the art scene in Houston, particularly the street art scene. I started working with aerosols painting some murals around town. I also started participating in shows around town and began developing a reputation as an artist.
Since then, in the last 4-5 years, I have been exploring and trying to find my way back to myself. The little kid in me that loved nature, art, and creative productions. This has looked like interning in a developmental cell lab, applying to medical school, painting murals, showing art at a pop-up event, working on a 911 EMS unit, volunteering to teach art classes, live painting at events, hosting art events, writing proposals, and a myriad of other odds and ends.
I now currently work on the transport team for the woman’s hospital. This allows me time to take on all sorts of creative productions and allows me enough income to be able to afford to say No to opportunities that don’t align with my values. My idea of success as an artist has changed a lot throughout this journey. Fame and notoriety used to be important ways in which I measured success. Now, it looks a lot more like valuing my own creativity and being able to practice my craft while upholding my values. These days, I don’t rush or reprimand myself for not producing. I practice and work on my craft at a pace that feels healthy and natural to me. I am further along the road back to myself as an artist and a person than I have been in a long time and it feels really good.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Hahahahaha. It has been anything but smooth. I have had a few instances of my public artwork being censored because it contained the image of an implied feminine nude. One was painted over at a mural festival. I wasn’t informed or given the opportunity to modify the image before it was painted over, and I wasn’t even finished. Another was a large outdoor art piece that had been hung on a gate, someone called a city official to investigate and have the art removed. There was a time when a previous partner of mine and I formed a collective called the Isosceles Krew. Whenever we had business meetings, people would often speak to him or defer to him primarily. A lot of the struggles that I have had as an artist are intertwined with the struggles of having/identifying with a feminine body. I’ve been on the receiving end of plenty of rejection and name calling – about both my work and myself.
Some of the advice I would have liked to give to my younger self:
– Choose your influences wisely.
– Listen to womxn who know their worth.
– When it comes to commissions write contracts, you’re in charge of your terms & conditions.
– You’re in charge of your terms & conditions.
– Bring extra picture hanging supplies whenever you participate in a pop-up event.
– If you’re having a solo event get someone to manage your sales so you can be free to talk with your guests.
– Be wary of anyone trying to compensate you with “exposure” – especially if the project requires the image pertain to or include a company’s name or their values – you should be compensated.
– Be wary of “collaborations” this may be used sometimes to try and get free work or ask you out (as one of my fellow artist friends said, there’s a fine line between artist and con artist).
– A reasonable price for mural work is $8 – $15 / sq ft + supplies.
– You don’t have to commercialize yourself or your work unless you want to.
– Flattery and opportunity can be tempting & have you settling for lesser terms than you would prefer.
– Be gentle with yourself on this journey.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am primarily a visual artist, working from small scale to large murals. I use inks, watercolors, acrylics, and aerosols. I take a lot of pride in the way I handle commissions and contracts. Healthy business relationships and clear communication are very important to me.
We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
Any and all forms of body and social inequality.
White supremacy, ableism, racism, fatphobia, homophobia, etc.
Pricing:
- mural work: $8 – $15 / sq ft + supplies
Contact Info:
- Email: alexandraklav@gmail.com
- Instagram: Corathao
Image Credit:
Nicolett Electra, Russell Kreig, Skeez 181, Alexandra Kontrimas
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