We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kennedy Lindberg a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kennedy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

My most meaningful project was my most recent, my thesis I completed at the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2023. This was created for my costume design class/ major and I chose to make a rhinestone cowboy or “nudie suit”. I spent a year studying rhinestone cowboys, old country artists from the 40s up until now, and music artists in general who express themselves through their wardrobe. I went to Memphis to see Elvis’ costumes in Graceland after speaking to their archives and a craftsperson on the recent Elvis movie by Baz Luhrmann. I chose this topic because I am from the south, particularly Alabama where I grew up, so it’s something I identify with. Through this, I explored the topic of a cowboy, a modern cowboy and who is ‘allowed’ to enjoy country today. Artists like Orville Peck and Trixie Mattel are changing our perception of what country can be, and yes, even drag queens can enjoy it and have a space in it. They have allowed me to enjoy that part of music and fashion without it feeling tied to hatefulness and the common crowd you associate with country and the south. Rhinestone Cowboys are a great example of this. These male artists in the 50s would wear the most glittery and colorful full suits without shame and in the country space. With my project I explored where that went, and how it is being embraced again by new generations. The theme I chose for my suit is space, planets, and ufos which is my favorite thing to make art about and is sort of a campy and fun way of comparing the themes in country of lonesomeness and how its similar to being in space and discovering new frontiers. Cowboys lived on the outskirts of society and were unapologetic, much like artists today that embrace this style.

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 have pursued art my whole life and continue to flip flop on what my title might be, but recently I just say simply that I am an artist. I majored in costume design at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Before that, I was in an art academy in high school. In art, I don’t limit myself to just one thing, even though I have been focused on costume for the past 4 years so intently. I am excited for this new opportunity in life to be able to have time to explore again, all types of art including things like painting and sculpture, as well as doing things in media like writing articles, and I want to continue to share my interests in that way as well.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Although I do not have the largest following on my social media, I believe I have been successful in getting most, if not all of my connections in the industry and artists in general from social media, particularly instagram. I talk about this all the time but I believe the best thing you can do is share your work and share your process without worrying what other people think. People find your process interesting, whether it be a timelapse video of you creating something, or photos at different stages of your work where we can see the behind the scenes or half-finished stages. This really shows people you have done the work and gets across the time you have put into it. You shouldn’t worry about it being perfect, you are always your harshest critic. Another thing I always tell people, and this has helped me more than anything, is to reach out to people that inspire you. Email them, send them a dm on Instagram introducing yourself, telling them how you found them and what you admire about their work, and ask a question. Even better, ask for 15 minutes of their time over a zoom or phone call. Then do this to 10 other people. You won’t always get a response, which is totally fine, but when you do you create that connection and they can connect you to someone else, and that goes on and on.

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

For me the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is found in other people and their responses to it. Of course I enjoy the satisfaction on my end of seeing something realized exactly the way I wanted it to, but seeing other people relate to my art and enjoy it is the best part for me. I believe the most relatable art is the most authentic and honest. Transparency transports people. I believe that art created with the intent to only please others and become as popular as possible is soulless and obvious in that. When people come up to me and my work at a show and tell me a personal story that relates to my art, I know I’ve done something right in being myself and authentic in my work. That matters more to me than a large following or audience. I also admittedly love a WOW moment. I find those when I bring an actor on set for example, wearing their costume I designed and everyone sees it all finally come together in the scene, with this being the last puzzle piece, and the director seeing their character in person. I remember seeing a musical where I was waiting for my costume to come on stage that I spent days attaching so many rhinestones to. I was so nervous that they wouldn’t show up and that I did all that hard work for nothing, but when the actor walked/ danced on stage the audience had a huge wow moment and gasp because it was SO glittery under the lights! The girl behind me said “oh my god he’s so sparkly!” And that is what started my obsession with rhinestones. Seeing other people receive joy from a moment I helped create is the best.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kennedypeyton1.wixsite.com/costume-portfolio
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kennedylindberg/

Image Credits
Snigdha Gopidi, Courtney Beauchamp