Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kolt Sizer. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kolt, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I grew up without any real understanding or appreciation of art. Having grown up in the Midwest, I come from a family lineage of tradespeople, a background that did not align with the art world. With this in mind, I had never been to an art museum until the age of nineteen; with any interactions with art being limited to comic books and tattoos.

At the age of nineteen I was asked by a local tattoo artist if I would like to apprentice under them. The artist was one I had been going to for my own tattoos and offered to teach me to draw and tattoo. After a year apprenticeship, I had the realization that tattooing was exploring other peoples ideas and that I wanted to see where my own art could go. I think working in the tattoo parlor gave me the confidence in my own abilities to take a chance on myself. From there , I enrolled in a BFA program. Since then, I have received an MFA, taught drawing, painting, and sculpture at a collegiate level, shown my own work across the nation, and am currently working as a curator at a museum.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started in the nonprofit sector before I had graduated from undergrad by volunteering at my local museum. The museum ran an undergraduate summer residency program which provided me with studio space and an exhibition in 2017. While attending the residency I volunteered and made myself available for all exhibitions. Doing this not only made created the opportunity to network in my community, but began shaping my understanding of community in my own art practice.

Every so often someone asks me if I identity more as an artist or a curator to which I have no answer. Art and nonprofit work share several unique similarities. There is frequently more to accomplish than what can be realistically achieved, the mission is often deeply personal to those involved, and the efforts are not always visible to the broader community. Both fields play a critical role in shaping personal identity. My roles as an artist and a curator are intertwined, as each influences my understanding of myself and the work I do.

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

Art is built on a foundation of community and it all starts locally. If you want people to care about your art, work, or business you should be supporting their practice as well. That is to say it is a two way street. Supporting art is making the effort to go to exhibitions, appreciate the creative endeavors in your community, and create opportunities (when viable). When one artist succeeds, we all succeed.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goals as an artist have evolved with each piece I create. In my earlier years, I aimed to inspire others in ways reminiscent of my admiration for the Old Masters. As I have matured as an artist, my focus has shifted more towards exploring what captivates me personally rather than solely seeking external validation. While I still aspire to inspire and evoke emotional responses in my viewers, my work has become a means to express my own ideas and interests. Through my art, I aim to contribute to the contemporary dialogue surrounding painting and drawing by sharing my perspective and offering insights into themes of viewpoint, narrative theory, and the ways in which we, as individuals, engage with one another’s ideas.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://koltsizer.com
• Instagram: @kolt_lucius

Image Credits

Image #1:

Title: NOISE
Medium: Oil on Linen
Dimensions: 30″ x 40″
Date: 2024

Image #2

Title: Abaddon Ver. #1
Medium: Charcoal on Paper
Dimensions: 78″ x 55″
Date: 2023