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

Alright, Kennedy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

As an artist, your signature is your brand. It provides context to each piece, as an extension of you. Though, it took time for me to fully understand this. When I first started my fine art business, I named it Pale Moon Studio, inspired by the street I lived on at the time. However, after a year, I felt a disconnect between the name and my work. It felt like an alias, keeping me adjacent to my art but never directly seen.

To build a stronger, more personal brand, I knew I needed to use my name. Instead of my first and last name, I chose my childhood nickname, KenCat, derived from my first and middle names. This name evokes pride and fond memories of my childhood, reflecting the deep, personal nature of art. And, it symbolizes the essence of my creativity and the intimate connection I have with my work. So, KenCat Fine Art was born, embodying not just my art but my journey, my identity, and the heartfelt stories behind each piece.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

As a child, I constantly turned to art as a means of self-expression, painting and drawing whenever I could. Though, I didn’t see it as art. To me, it was just a means to escape, where I could explore the stories of my mind. In high school, I drifted away from painting, with sports and performing arts taking over my time. However, during my junior year of college, the pandemic brought me back to my parents’ home, where, out of boredom, I rediscovered my childhood brushes.

At that time, my parents were restoring a 150-year-old farmhouse next to our home. My mom found one of the original windows in the attic and asked our family how we could commemorate it. I suggested painting it. From that moment on, I began painting old windows, a practice that has since become a core part of my artistic journey. Though I have expanded to other materials and projects, I often find myself returning to old windows every once in a while.

Each window is a story of its own, a natural storyteller that focuses one’s point of view. I realized it wasn’t the windows themselves that captivated me but their ability to evoke memories—both fiercely unique and profoundly universal. A shabby backyard tree from childhood can be transformed into a dark cyan oak, awaiting its next adventure. Though childhood trees may differ from person to person, the connection remains the same. These memories, turned into stories, become eternal, passed down through those who lived them, those who hear them, and those who treasure them.

For instance, a house that was once a home, but lost to time, still lives on in the bright memory of light seeping through the front door. The darkest times often bring the greatest need for escape. Slipping away into powerful memories allows one to suspend time for a moment, briefly living in the story. I hope my work sparks a sense of familiar nostalgia in the viewer, urging them to crave their own treasured stories and gently encouraging them to step in and escape.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

At first, I was just painting windows for my mom. Then her friend wanted one, and soon, their friends wanted one too. That’s when I realized I might be onto something. I started painting more and listing them on Facebook Marketplace. Old friends from school reached out, and soon strangers did too. So, I made an Etsy account and began selling my windows there. The first window I sold on Etsy was to a stranger in England—I couldn’t believe it. This moment was a pivotal turning point, making me realize the potential reach and impact of my art.

During my senior year of college, I balanced my studies with painting windows and selling them on Etsy. After graduating, I continued my small Etsy business as a side hustle while working two jobs. However, I knew I wanted to take my art to the next level.

I began researching art festivals, excited about the opportunity to showcase my work. However, I quickly realized I couldn’t afford the expensive displays sold online. But, still determined to make it happen, I designed my own display, and my fiancé and I spent countless hours in the yard of our apartment building it with whatever tools and resources we could find.

After months of building and preparing for my first show, seeing it all come together for the first time was indescribable. I was proud of our display, built from scratch, but I was completely shocked when seasoned artists asked me where I got it from. Suddenly, the imposter syndrome that had been lingering started to fade, and I felt like I was on the right path.

One festival led to another, then to four more, and soon, I was selling my art in person for the first year. The journey from painting windows for my mom to showcasing my art at festivals has been incredible. Now, I am more determined than ever to continue evolving and growing in my art business.

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

A few months ago, I was at an art festival when a woman walked directly to my booth and stopped in front of one of my paintings. I watched as her hands went to her face as she started to tear up. I was stunned, unable to move as I watched this stranger have such a personal reaction to my work. She stood there for some time before finally looking at me and sharing her story.

She told me she had seen this piece at a previous show I had been at and had been haunted by it ever since, and that she was staying up at night from regret of not buying it and knowing it was probably sold. By chance, she was nearby getting her hair cut when she saw on social media that I would not only be at this show, but the painting was in the background of my post. She knew it was fate. She got in her car and made a beeline to my booth, hoping with all her heart that the painting would still be there.

Hearing her story and seeing her emotional reaction was the greatest reward I could imagine as an artist. When someone resonates so deeply with your work, it means they’ve connected with your soul. They see a piece of themselves in your art, something that speaks to their experiences, emotions, and memories. To be seen only by your art and to evoke a response in someone who is otherwise a stranger is the best reward as an artist.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kencatfineart.com
• Instagram: @kencat_art

Image Credits

Individual Artwork Images (x2) were taken by Tristan Hallman