We were lucky to catch up with Kala Cullars recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Kala thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
Burnout and self-betrayal forged the creative path for me. I have always found solace in the quietude that is co-creation with the Universe. After spending many years in the slumber and staleness of what it is to labor in the carnivorous, capitalistic dream of another, I died within. I realized, with real eyes, that I just wanted to be happy and Live with purpose and on purpose. No outside entity was forcing me to chase a paper trail instead of taking the paper and creating art or poetry. I was up to my neck in fear, but free. There was the Uncertainty of how I would stretch out my equity over the course of however long. I had no knowledge of the industry, no connections in the art world, no mentors, support, etc. However, I had a deep knowing that if I made a decision and committed to my dream with the utmost discipline that I could muster, it would materialize. I needn’t know the how, I just needed to have faith and take consistent action. Each day I decided to invest my time creating and learning. In my first year, I wrote the content for three books and applied to any and every event, festival, and opportunity I could find. In hindsight, I have always known who I came here to be. I allowed fast money, the skepticism and criticism of others, and limiting beliefs to dictate who I was able to express as. In the end, I realized that possible is what I decide it to be.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I create visual art and I write…everything. I’m also in school for my master’s in forensic psychology. My art and writing are alive–brought here by my blood and breath. They think, behave, feel, grow, communicate, and connect. They explore the shadow selves which mainstream society views with repulsion and repression. I am not afraid of who I am–who I have been and who I am unbecoming, been again, and becoming. What I hear the most is I’ve never seen anything like this. My intention is that my art will allow you to see yourself unlike you’ve ever seen yourself before. It is deep, emotional, philosophical, and always different.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I was an alcoholic and drug addict for 12 years of my life. I have been sober for a little over four years. Not only have I been freed from the tethers of a fatal fate including homelessness, sanitariums, and the rat race, I have transformed and continue to transform self. I live as conscious of a life as I possibly can, each day helping someone else to do the same.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
Community. We are interdependent beings. Having a supportive community is foundational in that it offers connection, constructive criticism, opportunities, etc. Being someone who needs time and space to create, it’s easy to become a hermit. However, I am also hyper critical of my work; therefore, I need the compassion and objective eye of other artists who I respect to remove the barrier that is self-sabotage manifesting peculiarly.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.highestdimensions.com
- Instagram: @kalacree
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kala-cullars-553262108/