We recently connected with Ethan Kotch and have shared our conversation below.

Ethan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Developing my own artistic style and voice wasn’t born from some “ah-ha” moment where I pinpointed all of my own strengths and (internally) said “Yes! Let’s do this!”. It actually began when I accepted the things I wasn’t good at. In the beginning of my career, I had a difficult time with application. Having not gone to school for art or having taken any classes in that realm, things like color blending, shading, etc did not come naturally to me. I remember having all of these ideas in my head, but not knowing how to translate them onto the canvas and I struggled to move forward with anything. Rather than continually beating myself up, I decided to just accept that I didn’t know how to do these things and worked around it. I started painting only solid colors, and leaving a break of white space in-between the colors and the black lines. By doing this, I unknowingly embarked on a journey that not only made painting enjoyable for me, but also set me apart from other artists by having a style that is unique and easily recognizable.

Years later, I started going to school at UCLA extension for interior design, which included classes like color theory, 2d design, and photoshop. That’s when things really started to move forward for me. The knowledge I gained was applicable to both my career as an interior stylist, and as an artist. Photoshop has been crucial in the development of my concepts and has allowed me to create fully rendered artworks before actually putting them to canvas. Color theory taught me how to mix my own colors and opened up a plethora of new palette’s to explore.

The only obstacle that stands in my way now is, simply, time. Working a full time job and a side job while also growing as an artist doesn’t leave room for much else. You really have to be thoughtful about how you invest your down time and leave enough energy to be creative. It’s all about balance.

Ethan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a pop-art artist currently living in Los Angeles, and originally moved to the city from Conway, Arkansas in 2016. My immediate enchantment towards the city unlocked an unyielding fascination for the interplay of contrasts. I feel that all people have the propensity for both light and dark energy and that we must strive to find the balance between the two. Just because something is dark, doesn’t automatically make it evil. The same goes for light energy, just because something may appear cute and innocent, does that make it so? My art embraces the diverse hues that color our world and rekindles a child-like curiosity within us that is tainted by the experience of knowing.

I am currently developing a new series that is based on Los Angeles and my experience as a gay man within it. While many of my artworks can appear fun and light hearted at first glance, a closer look will embark you on a journey of ups and downs. This series, Los Angst: Season 2, is a continuation of my original body of work that I developed while I was actively discovering my own voice and style. This time around I am more focused on my intent, and excited for the direction it’s taking me in.

I have also started taking on commission projects and have found them to be one of the most rewarding parts of being an artist. They have really pushed me to explore concepts I would have otherwise missed out on and have been crucial in the development of new techniques. To give you an idea of how it works. A client will reach out to me, give me a list of things that they want to see in the artwork, and I take it from there. This could be anything from including different members of their family, a city that they love, specific animals, or really whatever! I love figuring out how to include little easter eggs throughout the painting that are meaningful to the client, but still feel uniquely me. I then render the entire concept digitally, send to the client for approval, and then get started painting. Over the past few months, I’ve completed commissions that range in topics from Disney, to dinosaurs, and even Tom of Finland.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Seeing the random ideas in my head come to life, to put it plain and simple. I love how one thought can set you on a path towards a cohesive, colorful, impactful piece of art. After weeks of developing a concept through trial and error, applying the outline, mixing the colors, and actually painting the artwork, there is no greater feeling than making that last brush stroke, standing back, and knowing that I created something original that can leave a positive impact on those that see it, myself included.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Honestly speaking? Learning to get back up.

I started painting in professional capacity back in 2018. I was really starting to feel momentum and booked an art showcase in 2019, and another showcase and exhibition in early 2020. Then covid hit, I went through a serious breakup, moved in with friends, and started working for an interior design company as a stylist. My life was in flux and I couldn’t seem to focus on my art anymore. Ideas weren’t coming to me and I even started a few different pieces and just couldn’t finish them. I was creatively stuck, so I decided to switch focus. It wasn’t until earlier this year that I started focusing on my art again, and now I am feeling that momentum again that I lost 3 years ago.

Just like my art, life is all about ups and downs, and sometime you just have to go with the flow and not force yourself to do something that isn’t coming to you naturally. I don’t mean that you should discard it and never look back, but sometimes things have to be put on the back burner temporarily so that you can deal with, well, life. I feel that art will always be a part of my life, because deep down I think its important to never lose sight of the things in our lives that bring us joy. And that is what art is to me – joy.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ethankotch.com
• Instagram: @ethankotch
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ethanckotch/