Meet Kaitlyn Stancy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaitlyn Stancy.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Ever since I was a kid, I have loved art making. All through school, I took every art class I could squeeze into my schedule. Out of anger and angst, I spent almost every lunch period of my senior year in high school in the art and ceramics rooms cranking out as much art as I physically could because I simply never thought I’d be able to continue making art in college. I didn’t think I could actually find a career in the creative field. My first semester of college, I enrolled in a darkroom photography class because I had always wanted to learn film and had never been given the opportunity to try it. After meeting a few amazing artists/professors and talking to my guidance counselor, I was persuaded to give the art field a shot. I began to realize that being a creative did not mean you had to be a starving artist. It just meant that maybe you’d have to juggle some of your creative passions to make it work.

At first, I had a really negative view of graphic design. I thought it was boring, too technical, and took the fun out of being an artist. That was before I realized what the world of design really had to offer. I also started taking screen printing classes where creating digital compositions became very prominent. As I started learning the programs and tools of the trade, it occurred to me just how much graphic design and art making aid one another. I had the epiphany that absolutely everything in this world is designed by someone and that every single business needs brand design and marketing. That’s a lot of opportunity to get creative along many different avenues.

I started learning about how design and art can really impact the world we live in. With a planet filled with so many problems, it gave me hope that while I cannot fix everything, I just might be able raise enough awareness to help encourage change. I began discovering more and more creatives doing super amazing things with the combination of art, design, and social practice. It is with this mindset that I pursued a double degree in both fine arts and graphic design. Over the years, I’ve bounced back and forth between different design and print production jobs to pay the bills. I try my best to carve out time for my own work and am very much still developing my creative voice.

Please tell us about your art.
My problem is, I want to do it all. I love so many different mediums of art, it is truly hard for me to focus on one single medium or concept. As of late, I’ve been having a lot of fun just playing with mixed mediums instead of overanalyzing concepts, but that’s not to say that I don’t have an entire book filled of ideas to pursue. I love everything from printmaking, photography and graphic design to painting and collage.

Most of my work revolves around themes of bizarre realities, theories of existence, and social commentary, but I also make abstract works for not-so-heavy thinking. I tend to have a quite sarcastic view of the world and enjoy pointing out mundane stupidity. My goal is to leave people wondering, “What if?” and questioning the world we live in. I want people to never lose their sense of creative thought.

What do you think about conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
I’d like to believe that the conditions for pursing art making are getting better. With resources like the internet and social media, it is now extremely easy to reach out to significant people and research topics, concepts, artistic trends, techniques, and other helpful information. It is just a matter of continuously working on your craft, getting it out into the world, and seen by the right people. I will never forget what my awesome design professor told me, “You can make the most beautiful book in the world, but if all it does is sit on a shelf, no one is ever going to see it.” You have to take the risk, be vulnerable; don’t be afraid to fail. Embrace failure and learn from it. But most of all, you have to dedicate the time for it.

I think the Phoenix art/design scene has a lot of potential to grow. I would really love to see the art and design community here merge closer together because they really do go hand in hand. I think that continuing to do more and more events like workshops, conferences, exhibitions, festivals, and public talks, the art/design community in Phoenix can really do some amazing things.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
You can view my work on my website and Instagram. I am currently in the works of updating my online store. You can direct message or e-mail me for any commissions, services, or inquiries about work. I am also hoping to have a table set up at Phoenix Zine Fest this year.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kaitlynstancy.com
• Email: kaitlynstancy@yahoo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaitlynstancy/

Image Credit:
Kaitlyn Stancy

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