We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Katherine Bridges. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Katherine below.

Katherine, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I was still in high school, and initially, I was just in it for an easy paycheck. As a teen, I had my eyes on the coolest new fashion at Hot Topic, but that didn’t come cheap. My friend and I first got into working at haunted attractions through a local family-owned farm. So, when I learned I could get paid even better for acting at a Haunted House at Worlds of Fun, I instantly applied. It was a much bigger production than the farm, with elaborate costumes and a whole make-up department. Little did I know, this job was going to unlock a whole new creative pursuit for me.

Although I was just a kid filling a role to scare guests at an amusement park, I learned a lot by watching the make-up artists while they worked on me. Later, when I had more experience with face painting and new acquaintances in independent film, my time in that make-up chair finally paid off. I was on the set of a friend’s hobby project, and although all the airbrush equipment and makeup were available, the artist dropped out at the last minute. I volunteered to try, hoping I could figure it out.

From that moment on, I was hooked. Makeup became an artistic medium for me, and I couldn’t stop myself from wanting to learn more. Before then, I had mainly stuck to traditional media, sculpting, and graphic design. Growing up, makeup wasn’t encouraged by my parents, so I didn’t experiment much outside of important events or Mary Kay parties.

Now I could see that makeup allowed me to incorporate the person, or character, into the design or use them as the foundation of the design. It became my newest pursuit, blending creativity with the unique canvas that is the human face.

Katherine, 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?

Hello! I’m Katherine, or Kay, a passionate multimedia artist specializing in face painting, makeup artistry, and other creative endeavors. I grew up with a love for all things artistic and am always looking for new ways to express myself.

I was born into my journey as an artist. There has never been anything I’ve been more interested in than learning different creative skills and trades. Growing up, I had a lot of support, but I also heard a lot of pessimism. What drives me to pick up a new medium is the determination to find new paths when one door closes. If I was told that art couldn’t be a career, then fine, I’d have a career and my art. If I was told that one trade was oversaturated, I’d pick up another one that was just as fulfilling. If what I was doing ever lost its excitement, I’d find another twice as exciting. Being an artist has just never been a question for me.

Currently, I’m working on rebuilding my streaming platform and keeping myself open to new opportunities. You might catch me offering face painting with my community group, Kansas City Oasis! While I’m not open for commissions or events right now, I’m selling some art prints to help fund a gallery exhibit I’d like to show.

What I hope to provide in the near future is a safe space for sharing my art and creativity with others. I want to foster a community of artists where we can share what we know and learn together. I envision it as a club where we gather for fun but also encourage and inspire each other to try new things. I aim to be more present online, streaming to build that community.

What sets me apart is that I can’t stick to just one thing. I don’t have a primary focus except to enjoy myself, and I hope that can be relatable to others. Many artists find success through a unique style and mastering a single skill. However, that success can put a lot of pressure on admirers to master one skill as well, which can be intimidating. I want to show that there’s another path: simply to try new things and find joy in creating.

I want potential followers to know that my work is driven by passion and a love for creativity. I’m working towards streaming on a schedule again. Until then, I’ll continue updating my socials with my various projects, sharing art memes, and posting educational content on my Discord while working towards my goal.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn that the only way to be successful in art is to make money from it. If you ask any creative person, they’ll probably tell you they’ve been warned they won’t make a living as an artist. The phrase “Starving Artist” is often used to discourage us from pursuing art as a career.

Children are always asked what they hope to be when they grow up. When I was asked, I would always say I wanted to be an artist. People usually responded with disappointment, as if choosing to be an artist was choosing failure. The perception that art can’t be a viable career sticks around as we grow up, and the commentary on our choice never goes unnoticed.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the ability to express myself. Art provides a unique and powerful medium to convey what I might struggle to put into words. Whether it’s through traditional art or by creating characters through makeup, each project allows me to share a part of myself with the world.

There’s something cathartic about turning my feelings into a tangible piece of art. It’s like finally externalizing something that’s been bottled up inside for too long. This process is not only therapeutic for me, but it also opens up opportunities for others to relate to and find meaning in creating with me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kayisevil.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayisevil/
• Twitter: https://x.com/Kayisevil
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kayisevil5177
• Other: https://linktr.ee/kayisevil