Today we’d like to introduce you to Aunia Kahn

Hi Aunia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

In 2001, my life took a sharp turn when I moved from Michigan to St. Louis. On my first day at a new job, I witnessed the tragic events of 9/11 in a break room filled with strangers. Overwhelmed, I left and never went back.

Around the same time, I was dealing with unexplained health issues. To make ends meet, I freelanced, using my skills in website design and development as well as graphic design, which I’d been honing since ’98. Now, 25 years later, I’m still going strong in this field and have added digital marketing as another skill I offer my clients.

I started digital art in 2002 and had my first exhibition by 2005. Allergies to traditional mediums pushed me away from traditional mediums for almost my entire career.

In 2021, when I finally got a diagnosis and proper treatment for numerous rare diseases which in part caused the life-threatening reaction to all mediums – I started working slowly in traditional mediums again. This stability allowed me to try gentler mediums like watercolor and gouache, expanding my horizons. Now, I’m a total art supplies addict—I review tons of them on YouTube and love every minute of it.

During Covid, my website design and digital marketing agency, Rise Visible, really took off, providing me with more stability in my finances and health. This allowed me to delve deeper into my craft as a painter.

In 2022, I began working on a private series of experimental art. Unlike my portrait paintings, these pieces were filled with bold colors, strange worlds, and were just a lot of fun. I didn’t share them until 2023. It marked a complete style shift, and after almost 20 years in the field, I was a bit worried about how people might look at the work.

Over the years, there’s an expectation that artists, creators, or musicians stick to a particular style, and when they make drastic changes, it can polarize and alienate their supporters.

Personally, I’ve always admired artists and creatives who push the envelope and venture into unexpected territories, especially when they have a large fan base where this change will be scrutinized publicly. I find it courageous.

By doing so, you risk losing the livelihood you’ve built, the support of your community, and the place you’ve established in the world.

About two months ago, I took the leap to blend my portraiture with a wild, fantastical, and colorful maximalist world. This shift has reignited my passion. I realized that the characters I paint needed richer narratives, so I infused elements from my childhood—vivid colors, houses, botanicals, and intense patterns.

The world now actually mirrors my home, how I dress and the things I love in the world. I am having a great time. Many of my galleries and collectors have loved the new direction – some have not.

One thing I can never do is to create for the masses – to create to sell. I create from passion and if my paintings sell or if people like the work or want to represent it – that is a huge bonus to the joy of already making something.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

The journey has always been a little bumpy. Life is just like that. If the road were smooth, I would assume I’m not advancing or learning anything new that challenges my being. I’ve grappled with my health and self-worth along the way.

Never feeling good enough as a creative is tough. Overall, it’s crucial not to carry around an inflated ego, and it’s equally important to constantly seek growth and improvement.

However, finding a way to be content with where you are—knowing there’s more to come—can be beneficial. Personally, I struggle with that. With a type A personality, I find it challenging to be satisfied with the present moment. As a creative individual, it’s vital to learn to find happiness in the now.

Learn to appreciate whether the painting you created fails or succeeds—it all holds value, and there’s always a lesson to be learned.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?

I’m the owner of Rise Visible, a website design and digital marketing agency based in Boise, Idaho, where I’ve been immersed in the field for a solid 25 years. But that’s not all there is to me.

I also wear the hats of an award-winning contemporary painter, curator, and author. My art tends to feature bold colors, intricate patterns, and a maximalist style, often incorporating symbols and elements from nature. Women and animals frequently appear in my work, as I delve into themes like the beauty of nature and reflections on life and death.

Much of my art is influenced by my upbringing and a series of close encounters with death due to chronic illness.

What I’m most proud of? Simply being alive. Those gray hairs? They’re proof of the challenges I’ve faced and overcome. Each one tells a story of resilience, reminding me that life’s best surprises often come out of nowhere.

What were you like growing up?

I was a strange child, no doubt about it. People often called me an old soul, which only made me seem more unusual. I didn’t have many friends and was frequently teased for being the oddball. Back then it was painful, but these days I revel in this strangeness! I was super tall and very clumsy – yet I was good at sports.

I found joy in visiting libraries, reading, drawing, singing, and playing outside—a rarity these days. I loved climbing trees, building tree forts, swimming, boating in lakes, playing basketball and rollerskating. I was outspoken and loved to talk to anyone. Teachers often wrote on my report card, “She is a good student, but talks too much.”

Even my mother worried I would be kidnapped because I loved meeting new people—she once left me in a grocery store and hid a few aisles away to scare me when I couldn’t find her. Not much has changed; I’m still the same.

Pretty sure my whole childhood just screams “the 80’s”.

Contact Info:

• Website: auniakahn.com and risevisible.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auniakahn/ and https://www.instagram.com/risevisible/