We were lucky to catch up with Kathy Pham recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kathy, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The most meaningful project I have worked on is my BFA Thesis “2023: Year of Girlhood.” The project consists of a website with four interactive essays that explore media trends themed around girlhood and gender in 2023. From Barbie-mania to coquette fashion trends to “babygirl” boys — pop culture unapologetically embraced everything “girl.” Throughout my research, it was interesting to observe the celebration of “girl” culture following the U.S. Supreme Court overruling Roe v. Wade. My goal with writing and designing these essays was to connect these big pop culture moments to the rise of conservative politics in the United States. While some view pop culture as trivial and frivolous, I believe pop culture reflects the the social, cultural, and political effects on our society.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Kathy Pham. I sometimes go by “KALINA” as an online alias. I am a multi-/inter-/anti-disciplinary artist, graphic designer, and writer-researcher. My work explores the intersections between pop culture, art, technology, and society.

I have a BFA in Digital Design from the University of Colorado Denver but have taken various electives in art history, studio art, and even acting in film & TV. While my portfolio consists of mostly commercial work as a graphic designer, I want to integrate my breadth of skills and knowledge into my creative practice. I’m still early in my career, so I don’t have it all figured out yet. I’ll always be a work in progress.

On social media, I recently found my niche as a visual culture analyst. My short-form videos on Neomedievalism and Shoe Diva have received a lot of views and support, which I’m very proud of. It’s great having the space to share my connections between niche art/design topics and the bigger picture. I see this moment as an expansion on what I set out to do with the Girlhood project.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Creatives tend to be multi-hyphenates. They often have multiple interests and passions, which can either be a distraction or used to their advantage. Society pressures young people to choose their career at 17 or 18 years old and follow through with that one, singular interest until retirement or death. The reality is that human beings are complex. We all have multiplicities to our identity, even ones that contradict each other. For me, I’ve dreamed of being a visual artist, graphic designer, creative director, programmer, game developer, writer, researcher, historian, actor, filmmaker, dancer, DJ, musician, philosopher, professor, coach — everything at once. While my main body of work involves visual art and graphic design, I’ve leveraged my writing skills as part of my practice. Art is storytelling at the end of the day, so why can’t I adopt other techniques (e.g., acting, writing, video editing) to incorporate into my work?

That being said, I am but one person. It’s impossible for me to achieve all of these dream careers in one lifetime. Along my journey, I realized that being a multi-hyphenate can be a distraction if I’m not careful. I would easily get sucked into daydreaming about the lofty lifestyles of Hollywood actors and entrepreneurial designers without stepping back to ask myself, “Am I investing in this skill because I genuinely like it? Or do I want it for the status?” There’s nothing wrong with having multiple passions. If anything, it’s only more beneficial for creativity. But I do think multi-hyphenate creatives should be selective of which skills they can apply to their work — especially on a project-to-project basis. I’ve had to learn this the hard way.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I get to share my art with the world and inspire people. Inspiration is the biggest part for me. It’s one thing for someone to say, “Oh my gosh, I love your art” or “I love this piece here.” But when I hear someone say “You’re an inspiration” or “I’m inspired by you to… [learn this subject or pursue this project]” that is the ultimate form of a compliment. If I get someone to learn something from my work or motivate them to take action in some way, I’ll know that I’ve done my job right. It’s about making that personal connection.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kalina-kathy.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kalinaxkathy/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-pham-design/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kalina_kathy
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/kalina_kathy
• Other: Thesis Project: https://girlhood-2023.com/
  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kalinaxkathy
  Are.na: https://www.are.na/kathy-pham/channels
  Substack: https://kathyskatalog.substack.com/