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

Kristy, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

No doubt, putting one’s art into the universe is an intimidating endeavor. By opening up and letting others see one’s creations you will inevitably be critiqued, judged, and the topic of conversation. As a working artist, the hope is that when you put your heart and soul into a piece of artwork, that “buzz” is positive, or at least, thought invoking. Unlike other occupations, artists often take pride in incorporating their inner most emotions and personal points of view into their projects. The more elevated the work, the more raw we are, and thus, the harder it is to share. When I first starting sharing my paintings with friends and family I received a few “not so inspiring” responses including: “You must be angry” and “Your painting looks like bacteria” – to be clear, these paintings were not inspired by anger or bacteria. Lesson learned, as a consumer of art, each individual approaches each piece with their own point of view… Sometimes their comments and critiques say more about the viewer than they do the artwork. I had to embrace, this is one of the points of art, to evoke emotion in the viewer just as much as it was to share the artist’s point of view. The art should speak for itself, and if dynamic and complex enough it will speak differently to different viewers- Which is, in the end, a beautiful thing!

Kristy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an intuitive abstract artist specializing in large scale paintings based out of Traverse City, Michigan. A lover of all things water, I am inspired by nature, textures, and the extensive beauty of northern Michigan. My passion lies in the process of creating art that evokes emotion and brings joy to others. Water, landscapes, and organic beauty are often depicted in my pieces. In addition to works of art, I have authored and published four books and written for numerous publications. My board book titles include: I Spy… A Pig in A Plane, Nap-a-Roo, Dream Sweet Dreams, and The Many Ways to Say I Love You.I have always been driven by creating. As a child, I created and sold numerous items based on my internal passion for making products that others could enjoy. One of my first small businesses was back in the 80’s I made my first $100 by sewing scraps of fabric into scrunchies. Into adulthood I continued creating in various forms. I have created content for multiple magazines, produced unique goods, and written four original children’s board books. My abstract artwork can be found in private collections in multiple states. Today, I am an intuitive abstract artist, spending my time painting artwork inspired by Northern Michigan, nature, and a meditative mindset. I often incorporate nature into my artwork as I strive to convey emotion onto the canvas with color and texture.

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

There are so many ways to support an artist and small business owner that you love. Obviously, one of the best ways is by purchasing a piece of their work. Here are a few other suggestions how to show your support your friends that do not require money:

-Take their art seriously as being an artist is as much as a career as it is an identity
-Suggest their art to friends and family who are in the market
-Social Media matters: Share, Comment, and Post
-Leave a five star review
-Give them a shout out in a conversation
-Help make connections: suggest their art to an interior designer that you know.
-Art requires courage: tell them what you like about their creations.
-Encourage them to keep pursing their dreams!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

For me, creating is what truly drives my journey. If I can create joy and share that joy with others through my work, I will be fulfilled in my career!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kpocreative.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kpocreative_art/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KPOcreative
• Other: https://www.crookedtree.org/artist/kristy-kurjan

Image Credits

KPO Creative LLC, Traverse City, MI