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

Katie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you wish you had started sooner?

I can honestly say that I don’t wish I had started my artistic career any sooner. I’m really only now at a place in my life where I have the love, support, and appreciation I needed to be who I really am, and create what I love. Being creative in one way or another has always come naturally to me, but it wasn’t until somewhat recently that I narrowed my focus to just my artwork. A few years ago my life and choices pushed my body to its limits. I was just 33 years old and I was told I had end stage liver disease. Suddenly I was face to face with my own mortality and had some serious decisions to make. How would I move forward from here, and what was the mark I wanted to leave on the world? I chose not to succumb to the fears my doctors wanted me to subscribe to, and chose instead to believe in myself and the strength of my own body and mind. Then, slowly but surely as I worked to help my body painstakingly heal itself, I came to love everything my body was capable of doing and surviving. In finding that love, I found my inspiration and the mark I would leave on the world through my art. I wanted to share the divine feminine power I had found in myself with others in hopes that it would inspire them to find that within themselves. I truly believe that If I had started pursuing my career as an artist before going through these struggles, my appreciation for the female body and its force would not show through with the same energy it does now. Quite simply put I wouldn’t have found the basis for everything I work so hard to express.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a self taught eclectic artist and mother originally from Colorado, now living in Arizona. I’ve always been a creative person, and years back I even had a successful home business selling my creations, which was everything from paintings and hand spun yarn to custom purses and clothing. It was a reflection of who I was at the time, and helped lay the groundwork that would lead me to the path I am on now. Life got in the way and I stopped my creative pursuits until recently, deciding to focus entirely on my artwork.

I began learning to paint as a teenager, with acrylics before moving on to watercolors and mixed media, though my art these days consists primarily of acrylics. When I first started painting I favored a muted and dark palette but now that I have truly found my style as an artist, I am drawn to more bright and bold color combinations. I enjoy painting abstract and surreal images featuring the female form as I am drawn to its ability to exude power, elegance, and sensuality from almost every angle.

I chose the name Shakti Expressions for my storefront because I draw a lot of inspiration from having done yoga as part of my healing journey and I feel that the phrase explains in the simplest terms exactly what my art is about. Expressing my interpretations and impressions of what is sometimes called the feminine spiritual force, particularly as it relates to the female body. Women are after all divine beings in a physical form, and capable of the most beautiful creation, destruction, and ecstasy. My hope is that others who enjoy my art will find it to be not only an inspiration, but also a reflection of their innermost selves.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think the best thing society can do to support artists and creatives, aside from the obvious answer of purchasing their work themselves, is to share the artist’s work with family and friends. If you like something, say something, so to speak. Every interaction, like, share, etc. helps bring more attention to an artist’s work. Who knows, sharing someone’s art may end up leading them to their biggest buyers or the next avenue for them to branch out creatively. Which means it’s also important to make sure you give the artist proper credit when you do.

Most people are quick to share what they find funny, or comment on something that angers them, but what if more people shared things purely out of appreciation? Not only would our social media feeds be filled with more beauty and inspiration, but more artists would find their target audiences and community that much faster. Imagine what someone like Monet or Picasso would have accomplished and created if they had the world at their fingertips in the way we do now.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist for me is being able to see my ideas and visions brought to life by my own hand. Creating art has always felt a bit like riding a roller-coaster for me. It’s always invigorating when a new idea first comes to mind, at times I feel like I spend hours, and sometimes days frantically sketching to get everything just right. Then the anxiety and excitement build as you put your brush to the canvas, wondering if each stroke or color choice will be the one you needed or not. In the end you are washed over with calm and pride as you stand back and see what you’ve created and completed. There’s so many emotions you go through during the creative process, everything from inspiration to frustration, but nothing matches the feeling of accomplishment when you step back and realize your piece is finally done.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shaktiexpressions.etsy.com
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/baber_katie
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552821966675