We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Katama Murray a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Katama, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
In full transparency, I cannot trace back the first moment I knew because I truly think that I always knew that I wanted to purse a creative path professionally. From a young age I engaged with artistic processes and continued to learn through natural growth and sheer curiosity. Both sides of my family is full of artists and teachers, and even a few who became art educators, like myself. I am fortunate to have a supportive family, friends, and communities who have always encouraged this path, and looking back, it may not have been as easy to pursue what I have without that type of support. Drawing, painting, photography, printing, and fiber arts drew me in at such a young age, and still does to this day for so many reasons. The thought of not only creating but teaching and sharing the love and processes within artistic disciplines has called me from the beginning.
Katama, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I grew up in coastal New England towns of Downeast Maine and Cape Cod where community and creativity is nurtured and valued, which is something that fills me and so many others with hope. With the help of supportive teachers who knew how passionate I was about art, teaching, and cultivating community, they gently steered me towards different directions in the education and fine art fields. Back then, I of course had no idea how meaningful this path would actually be, and it’s incredibly special to reminisce about how those teachers encouraged me as I do now with my students. Surrounded by makers of all types, genres, and techniques, it was exhilarating to observe the vastness of the arts and how interdisciplinary you can become with combining and layering both media and process.
When it came time to decide where I wanted to purse arts in higher education for college, I chose Plymouth State University in New Hampshire as they have an art department that encourages just this; interdisciplinary exploration of media and ideas. There I continued my love for printmaking that was found in high school, and focused in Printmaking, as it multidisciplinary in its nature, and allowed for cross pollination between other studios and ways of making. This opportunity opened a whole new world of knowledge and inspiration that has led me to the processes that I now employ in my products and teaching. From there I continued to pursue Printmaking and education at Indiana University for my MFA, opening even more avenues for expanding the repertoire of methods that I incorporate into my studio practice.
In between undergraduate and graduate school, I decided to turn my casual making and selling products to friends and family into an official LLC, Teach Peace Prints, which focuses on printmaking and fiber techniques that utilize natural materials. This is when I was able to dedicate more time and space to building a small business and products inspired by the natural spaces I call home. For many years, I’ve created handmade products on paper and fabric using a variety of materials and processes, and continue to experiment with techniques while mindfully collaborating with the natural world. Tuning into the rhythm of the seasons and the plants that exist within those moments in time help to foster a deeper connection to local surroundings with respect, admiration, and care. Sharing these process-driven techniques to individuals and communities through educational opportunities is a way to further connect and inspire one another through making and learning. I enjoy creating both functional and decorative products which embrace others with the groundedness of nature, as well as pieces that inspire clients to consider slowing down and noticing local ecosystems around them. Products include screen prints on paper, apparel. reusable cloth napkins and other kitchenware, blank journals, apparel, creative supplies and containers for housing tools and treasures, among many others. In addition to making and selling work online through my website and through in person stockists at select stores, I also teach hands-on workshops to community members through TPP and work as the Visual Arts Educator at a local high school.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
This is a hard question, as there are countless rewarding aspects for being a creative. One of the most rewarding aspects for myself is knowing that I notice and appreciate certain elements of the natural world and making, such as organic patterns found in rock surfaces or moving water, and how those patterns resemble those of bark beetle paths forged beneath tree bark. The real reward is when you can help others to notice similar phenomenons or moments, and share that joy together of simply seeing. Just by seeing, it not only can help us to slow down in this fast-paced world, but also connect those findings to other aspects and ways of seeing both indoors and outdoors. Helping others to witness and appreciate the magic in this wild, wonderful life is magic in itself.
How did you build your audience on social media?
As many creatives can relate, I have utilized social media platforms to build a presence online, but nevertheless am no expert on particular ways to ‘successfully’ build an audience and brand. Long ago I decided to keep my personal Instagram account and business account together, as two is more to manage and I enjoy sharing personal elements of my life along with my products, as they are interconnected and inform one another. For those who understand the process of sharing online in any form, you may relate with how I feel, which is that I love to share online, yet often struggle having a balance between time and energy that’s poured into the countless hours spent online while attempting to be outside more. What has ‘worked’ for me thus far is to be authentic, share a lot of images and information relevant and sometimes not relevant to the work I create, and keep trying despite the frustrations of our current digital realms. I have made so many amazing connections and friendships through social media, particularly Instagram, and will plan to continue sharing and connecting for as long as I’m able and interested.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://teachpeaceprints.com/
- Instagram: @teachpeaceprints
Image Credits
Katama Murray & Nathaniel Sharp