Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathleen Tom.
Hi Kathleen, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always loved drawing and painting. Growing up in NYC, I loved going to the museums and galleries. When I saw Van Gogh’s “Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat” for the first time at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, I was moved to tears. The painting was smaller than I imagined it would be, but being so close to something so beautiful filled me with so much joy. I went to an art high school and went on to an art college. I eventually moved to California and got a degree in Graphic Design. I started working for a printer in Carlsbad and worked there as a graphic artist for many years. At some point, I stopped drawing because I never seemed to have time. Eventually, I met an incredible artist (and co-worker) who inspired me to draw again. Drawing again awoke something inside me. I had forgotten how much I loved drawing and how much I missed it. With a full-time job, I drew primarily on the weekends, and I began showing my work in local group shows and juried shows.
When COVID hit, I was laid off from my graphic artist job. Getting let go after working so long for one company was terrifying. However, I looked at it as an opportunity to pursue art full-time instead of part-time. It also gave me the opportunity to go back to school to study Child Development. The two years after COVID were challenging, but I have the good fortune to work as an artist and also work as an apprentice Pre-K teacher at a Child Development Center at MiraCosta College. I couldn’t be happier.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has not always been smooth. I stopped drawing for a very long time. Also, for an artist, finding your identity and your voice can take years, and maintaining a work-life balance can be difficult – especially when my children were young. Working a full-time job, caring for young children, and finding time for myself to create and draw was a juggling act. But once I started drawing again in 2006, everything fell into place.
I’ve always had a very specific style of drawing, and it’s not a style that appeals to everyone. I use to struggle between creating artwork that appeals to everyone and being true to myself. I chose to be true to myself. These days, the artwork I create is made to make me happy.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I primarily work with pen and ink, watercolor, and colored pencils. The drawings are mainly multi-layered – meaning several pieces of watercolor paper (individual drawings) are layered on top of each other to form a single image and put into a deep frame. Working with layers can be challenging, but I enjoy the challenge. Making sure each individual layer will work once they are put together requires some planning. I always imagined the frame as a theater, and the story I was presenting was inside. The style of the multi-layered drawings are a little different from the normal flat drawings I do. I tend to use heavier black lines in my multi-layered artwork. Because life can be harsh and unforgiving, I try to create an atmosphere of peace and tranquility within my artwork. Moments of quiet and stillness are very necessary.
What am I most proud of? I was among a group of artists hired by Runyon Saltzman & Einhorn in 2013 to create illustrations for a new campaign for a consortium of counties in California who were working to de-stigmatize mental health issues. Engaging in meaningful conversations about mental health and removing the stigma that is often attached to it is an important issue for me. The campaign, “Walk in Our Shoes” shared the stories of young people who are struggling with mental health issues. Each story was illustrated by a different illustrator. I illustrated the story of “Laura.”
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
That’s hard… the only advice I can give – which isn’t going to be particularly helpful with establishing a career – is to draw every day and to remember that not everything you draw will be a masterpiece. Set short-term, achievable goals, and NEVER compare yourself to other artists.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/yelloperilart/
- Other: www.behance.net/mightyatomgirl
Image Credits
Denise Conrad
Kathleen Tom
