We were lucky to catch up with Katrine Hildebrandt recently and have shared our conversation below.

Katrine, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

As a parent myself, I often think about all the wonderful attributes my parents shared with us, and what knowledge/skills they taught me that I can in turn pass down to my own children. As a child of an artist/art teacher and a business owner who dabbled in woodworking I learned a lot about craft, design, and color from my parents. I have very distinct memories of my mother helping me to put together book reports for school. We would lay out the front cover of the report on leftover matte board saved from framing her own work. She showed me how to lay out the spacing of the lines and lettering, making sure the lines were straight and centered. This is how I start all of my work on paper now, finding the center of each piece of paper before laying out the entire composition. Those book reports also had drawings to accompany the writing. She always pushed me to go beyond what was requested, to the point where I was often embarrassed to hand in my reports, but proud at the same time for all the care that went into them. My mother also taught me to sew, a skill I also use nearly every day in the studio. My childhood was full of creative projects, from halloween costumes, to decorating the house, design was everywhere. My dad taught me how to create things from wood, I can distinctly remember my first sculpture, a wooden person we made in the garage together with moving arms and legs. There was never a limit to what we could make, if I had an idea they would help me make whatever it was into reality. They supported my dreams to become an artist, and to this day are my biggest fans.

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 Boston-based visual artist whose work is inspired by sacred geometry and the metaphysical mapping of space and time. Using volatile processes like burning paper, I create layered, geometric work that strives to invent visual metaphors for intangible experiences such as consciousness, interconnectivity, and impermanence. I earned a BFA at Hartwick College and a MFA in Sculpture at Massachusetts College of Art & Design. I knew I wanted to be an artist from a very early age, and my parents were very supportive of that desire. In undergrad I was turned onto the work of Eva Hesse and Louis Bourgeois who became major influences and fueled my desire even further to work in sculpture and installation. I was inspired by them because they were women working with unconventional materials in a way that pushed the boundaries of what women were thought to be capable of. My work in the early years was very installation and concept driven, but as the years have gone by, I have become more and more interested in creating works on paper. And although my work is primarily on paper now, I still think of my drawings as dimensional and often times they have a three dimensional element to them such as sewn on fabric or basket reed.
My work usually begins with a question, and the drawings are explorations and meditations on those initial questions. I usually will find a theme for each body of work such as lineage, or interconnectivity that I break down into words/adjectives that I reference as I draw, aiming to provide visual clues and solutions to those initial questions.
I have been making the work I create today for the past 10 years, and it continues to evolve with more and more questions seeking to be answered. I am proud that I have build up a following for my work that supports my career as a full time artist and mother.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

There have been many times in my life that a pivot was essential to the way forward. In 2016, I was working full time for a retail company, raising my 3 year old son, all while also trying to launch my art career. I would come home from work, fulfill my motherly responsibilities, and upon putting my son to bed go to the studio to work. There was no other way for me, but I was exhausted and burnt out. After lots of tears and hard conversations I decided to leave my full time job (that I loved) to take a huge leap of faith in myself and my art. Just a month or so afterwards, I became pregnant with my second son. I was scared and concerned life with a second child was going to be increasingly difficult as a full time artist. However, I just kept going, I kept working, I kept showing up in the studio, and eventually he did too. I worked with my son in the bassinet next to my desk, while he nursed, and crawled around the studio floor. I have learned that art is such a fundamental part of my life that I can not live without. A day that goes by without being in the studio feels empty and unsatisfactory. Of course I feel that way about being a mother too. There is a balance, and you have to be flexible and be able to pivot to keep the dream going.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I grew up not only as an artist, but also as an athlete; swimming competitively and running cross country. As a kid, I wasn’t very competitive though, I would cheer other’s on as they passed me. I was in it for the social aspect, and I always had my eye on art. I eventually gave up athletics to focus on my art and hang out with the cool kids. In the past couple of years, as a strategy to overcome depression and anxiety I started running again. I quickly realized that not only was running great for both my physical and mental health, it gave me time to think about my work ( i often get ideas for pieces while I am running), and also it provided me with tangible goals to work towards which has also translated in the studio. I think when you are young, people try to fit you into a box, and I conformed to that. I couldn’t see my self as both an artist and athlete, but now I love breaking through those perimeters, it is really empowering and I continue to surprise myself with what I am capable of.    

Contact Info:

• Website: www.katrinehildebrandt.com
• Instagram: katrinehildebrandt

Image Credits
Linda Campos