We recently connected with Kristin Kowalski and have shared our conversation below.

Kristin , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I am an artist and an educator, which means I have a regular job and I have a creative job as a artist. I need to regular job as an educator to provide for my family and have the ability to live as an artist. It is a juggle and balance between the two worlds and can be very challenging to nurture both careers. To state weather or not I am happy as an artist, is not that easy. I see happiness as a fluctuating scale, there are times with my art that I am happy, there are times I am not happy and very stressed or overwhelmed. There are times that are more neutral and complaisance or too busy to think about it. That is the nature of being an artist. I am happiest when I am making work, I feel like myself and whole. Working in the studio late at night and just doing what I love, fuels all other aspects of my life. That is only one part of being an artist, there is the marketing and business end that has to happen to find success. There are times when being an educator and a mother takes away from the time I have to work on my art. That is a balance and fluctuation I am always trying to manage.

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.

Art has always been part of my identity and has evolved over my life. I when to art school for undergraduate and focused ceramics and sculpture. During that time I was working with kids in education as a side job. I really enjoyed teaching and sharing my knowledge and passion for art with youth. I then pursued graduate school for Art Education, this was when I started to merge my identity as an artist and educator. I was working on my own artistic practices as a sculptor and researching educational practices. When I left graduate school, I moved back to Toledo Ohio and set up my personal ceramics studio with what resources I had. Bought a used kiln and worked with what extra clay I had from grad school and made it work. I started teaching while building up my studio and developing my resume. The past 16 years I have been working hard to grow as an artist, while working full time as a high school educator. I am currently creating, selling and exhibiting my ceramic sculptures and have representation through J. Petter Gallery and Toledo Museum of Art Collectors Corner. I also work full time at Maumee Valley Country Day School as the Upper School Art Instructor and Gallery Director. My main goal is for my art is to continue to have opportunities to exhibit and sell work in this new and changing market.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I can’t remember a time in my life that didn’t have art in it. From my early memories of coloring and classes at the museum, till now, art has been a crucial part of my life. It has not been an easy to follow this passion, knowing how hard it is to find success or success comes and goes. There are times I think, why am I doing this? Or this is pointless. The reward is to have the world engage with my art. I have the opportunity to use my hands to create something that is representation of myself and selling my personal vision to someone to enjoy in their life. It reminds me that the years of developing my skills, techniques and ideas was worth it, because people are connecting to my sculptures.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

The years of education, the years of hard work, the failures, the rejections, my experiences and the dedication all come together for me to create my current artwork. This work is a direct reflection of myself and my history that is put into a sculpture. Non-creatives can have a hard time understanding the value in that. You are not just buying a piece to make a part of your house pretty or interesting, but you are buying my years of experience and my creative ideas. Not just a mass produced product that you get at a home store. I have had non-creative people make jokes about how expensive my work is or ask why am I charging so much. I think my work is cheap, when I think of the time and materials that when into each work. They also don’t understand the gallery or exhibition space take a percentage.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kristinkowalski.com
• Instagram: @kowalski.kristin

Image Credits
All images are my personal images take my me or my husband