We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kendra Griffen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kendra below.

Hi Kendra , thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on/for is being a member of the 501st. There’s a huge sense of accomplishment being able to get out into communities and raise money for charity as well as the community within the 501st. When I made my first costume for approval there were those in the legion who were ready to help with any questions I had and provided me with great resources to help get my costumes approved. Once each costume is finished there’s no greater joy than being able to look at a costume that you made and realize that you did that even with all the challenges and months it takes to build

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I have always been a huge nerd. It wasn’t until I was around the age of 13 when I saw people were building entire costumes and props from my favorite games, movies, and tv shows which was when I was finally introduced to cosplay. I watched hundreds of tutorials of helmets, armor, blasters, etc and finally decided to stop waiting and go for it. My first prop was a Lightsaber which involved visiting the plumbing section of Home Depot with my mom in tow. With a sink drain, pvc, flashlight, and electrical tape in hand I went home and built my very first prop. 8 years later now have about 14 completed costumes and each has taught me valuable lessons which I bring to each challenge I face during new builds. Cosplay has taught me to look at problems with patience and an open mind. You will make many mistakes but each one makes you better and better at your craft (even if it means re-starting from square one). That lesson within itself is a great example to apply to every aspect of life.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

With each cosplay there’s a very long process within each phase of each costume you build. Costumes can take months and even years to put together. Sometimes what holds me back is the fear of looking a costume so complex you often wonder how you’re even going to pull this costume off. You can get into a mindset that might steer you away from a cosplay or trash the idea entirely. It’s often a battle with your mind and heart. However once you cross the finish line and get to wear your costume at conventions and look back at those memories seeing that you were the one who spent all that time hunched over what once was sketches on a pieces of paper or being covered in dust from sanding for hours on end and all the bumps that costuming throws at you. It was you who pushed through and built something amazing.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Investing in creative spaces/communities where people can bounce ideas off one another is crucial to a being a thriving creative. It’s almost like networking for a business. Especially in cosplay where you may have to learn an entirely new craft for a piece of a costume or prop it’s great to have people you can always call on to give you ideas through their experiences and what went well for them and what didn’t go well.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Trillasupremacy
• Twitter: Trillasupremacy
• Other: Tiktok: trillasupremacy

Image Credits

Ted Warner
Bobby Crogan
Ben Lucas
Therria Photography
Hudson Michael’s Photography