We recently connected with Autumn Kidd and have shared our conversation below.
Autumn, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
I would firstly categorize myself as a film photographer, specializing in 35mm and 120 film. Having this base has led me to pursuing printmaking, which I am currently in the middle of my program. This chapter in my life has helped me reimagine my art process. It has helped me rethink the messages I am trying to convey in my work and how I find those meanings. I now see my images in relation to the printmaking process.
I first learned how to shoot a film camera in high school, only, I didn’t take it seriously. At 16 I had dreams of making art but did not really know how to go about actually creating work. Fast forward to 2019, my best friend, Kaden Dawson, asked if I could shoot a concept. He let me choose the location and have stylistic freedom with how the vision was shot and ever since then I have been hooked on photography. I feel like I learned the basics like how to load film, cock the shutter, iso, etc, in high school but from there most of my learning has been through trial and error, my closest friends, youtube, the developing lab I worked for, and now professors. I take so much inspiration from my friends, they are always evolving and pushing the limits of their art. Most of my friends make art that is different than mine like silk, painting, candle making, jewelry, cyanotype, clothing, you name it! When I am in a rut I look to those around me.
I think in learning this craft I could have taken more risks in terms of trying out various cameras, lighting tools, and not being afraid if the idea did not turn out how I saw it in my mind’s eye. The saying “measure twice cut once” comes to mind. There are so many times where I made the same mistakes over and over again before changing direction. I think the skills that were most essential in my progression, was collaborating with other like minded artists and not feeling like I need to wait to have all the “right” gear to start.
Collaborating with like minded people I would say is something that took me time to learn. There are so many amazing artists with talents that I could never dream of also searching for people to collaborate with, and not being afraid to reach out and potentially be rejected was something I had to learn to do. That leads me into not waiting for the “right” time to start a project. There will never be a perfect moment, so why not just reach out to people you trust and start on the idea, sometimes it takes longer than expected for an idea to feel finished and that’s okay, it is a part of the process.
I would say that the things that stood in the way of me learning more is myself. I did not take every chance that came to me like taking classes on the things I did not know or chances to assist on set. I would sometimes hold myself back from working with other great people because of imposter syndrome. These are things that I think will be a struggle for a while but I am taking it one day at a time.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
so I am mainly a film photographer, I specialize in 35mm and 120 film. I am currently in school to pursue printmaking such as screen printing, lithography, and bookmaking. I am learning these new skills to support my photography practice. I also experiment with video work on Hi8 and little handycams but this experimentation has yet to see the light of day.
I would say the biggest things that got me where I am today are social media and working/collaborating with other like minded artists, as well as being in group shows. I have been featured and interviewed in publications such as Pomegranate Press, Luna Collective, Wastoids, Vogue Italia, and many other amazing publications.
In my photographic work, I think I provide people with a unique experience that allows them to receive creative portrait work. I really want to bring to life whatever idea they might have in their heads. Even if its small, I want to provide a space for them to feel like we can work together to flesh it out. People often come to me looking for alternative photography, work that shows them portrayed unlike how they are seen in the world. I tend to shoot darker, more intense scenarios, and subjects. I also like to experiment with lighting, photoshop, printing on various papers and fabrics, and scanning. This long process allows me to have control from start to finish and allows me to have a product that is all my own. I think what sets me apart from others is that photography is not the end. It is the beginning of a long winding journey for me. I see it as a jumping off point, where my photography ends, my printmaking comes in.
I work under the name Swan Girl and I would say working and building this identity is something I am proud of and would like to progress in. Here I tend to showcase more of my traditional printmaking but I am working towards a complete combination of this and my photography. I am also most proud of a few pieces. The first being my very first zine, Alone in Truth or Consequences, shoutout to my muse Sadie, hair stylist Autumn, and makeup artist Martina. This project was a mix of photography and monologue style writings mixed in. I am also proud of some larger prints I have made. Such as my photolithograph plate print of my friend Kim and screenprints I have made of my muse Danielle Gadus. I’m very proud to be able to work with other amazing artists!! I am also just super grateful to anyone who hits me up to work together on a project.
I am currently working on my next zine which I want to keep on the DL until it is more solidified but right now it is piecing together various aspects of pleasure, and asking myself the questions, is pleasure always taboo? What forms does it take? And if pleasure is a place?
Have you ever had to pivot?
When I was 18 I was in a very bad car accident. It left me with a broken bone in my neck, concussion, and a scar across my face. Doctors told me I was lucky to not be paralyzed from the neck injury and that the scar on my cheek was millimeters away from cutting an essential artery. My cheek was cut so deep the fat in my face was visible. In some ways I felt survivors’ guilt, not because anyone passed away from this accident but because I survived while others in my same shoes could not say the same. I did not know why I was kept alive. This accident was monumental for me, the months that followed were some of the hardest times of my life, I had to mourn the person I was before. It also forced me to depend on others to bathe me, drive me around, and dress me. This was not easy, especially for someone like me who needs autonomy and freedom. This accident was not something I took lightly, it was a HARD and DRASTIC pivot, I could no longer live the way I had been. After this I started taking myself more seriously and having an artistic practice became the thing that kept me going. Since this accident I have made many other life changing decisions but nothing was so earth shattering as this moment. I do not think I would be a photographer or printmaker if it was not for this.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Oh boy, there are a lot of things that I think we as a society can do differently to support artists. First, support your friends!! This is everything, sometimes you have no idea how wearing that necklace, having that print up, or reposting that work can open doors for someone else. We live in a consumer society but we can choose how we consume and who that affects. Supporting local businesses is a great way to start, this keeps the money in the community. Local flea markets, art markets, clothing markets, you name it! Support any small industry.
Also supporting small online businesses is such a nice way to curate a one of a kind home, wardrobe, or gift for someone else. I love commissioning my friends to do what they do best. This world does not want us to have a strong community but by supporting local and small people we can build our own worlds.
I have a ton of amazing friends who make amazing work so here are some like Kaden Dawson, Danielle Gadus, Ashya Flint, Clu Belmontes, Sadie Scheufler, Callie Simerly, Shannon Ryan, Imogen Gosnell, Bobby (sorry I don’t know your last name), Claire and a lot more people that I didn’t name!!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autumnkidddd/
Image Credits
Image one, model: Ashya Flint
Image two, model: Cameron Rose
image three, model: Danielle Gadus
image four, model: Imogen Gosnell
image five, model: Kim Nolasco
image six, model: Danielle Gadus
image eight, model: Kaden Dawson