Tell Me All About It: Q&A with Kelly Reemtsen

"Sweet" by Kelly Reemsten. All images courtesy of Reemsten.

Today, I'm very excited to introduce you to one of my favorite artists, Kelly Reemtsen. You may remember my mentioning her in a Love This! post more than a year ago, and if so, you'll understand why I was thrilled that she agreed to answer some of my questions about her work, her life as a career "artist" (a word that makes her "uneasy"), and what  keeps her inspired. 

Here's what De Buck Gallery, the Gallery that represents her in NYC, has to say about her work:

Kelly Reemtsen’s beautiful, texture-filled paintings are characterized by headless and thereby anonymous female figures, clothed in vintage dresses, against vacuums of white. Though her ladies are dressed to the nines, they carry as accessories typical household, often “masculine,” items, such as wrenches, hoses and chainsaws. These women can, on one hand, be identified as stereotypical housewives, an effect magnified their dresses that evoke the 1950s. Reemtsen’s treatment of her subject shatters these stereotypes with results ranging from the quaint to the menacing, though in a vibrant and elegant manner. 

So with that, lets meet her, shall we? You can read below for the inside scoop on all things Reemsten (pay special attention to the question about "balance"--I love her brutal honesty!)...

"Date Night" by Reemsten

When did you start creating? When did you first start calling yourself an artist?
I studied fashion design in college and gradually drifted towards fine art.  I worked in a gallery until I was able to earn enough money just making art.  I am a little uneasy with the word artist.  I do not use it.  I call my self a painter.  If I had to pick an age I would say 30.  That was the year I moved in to my first live/work loft space.  

What time of day is most productive for you?
3pm -2am

What does a typical studio day look like?
My days are never typical, but I work very long hours. I have a live/work studio.  It works well for me.  It keeps me in the thick of it.

What is your creative process like?
If by process, you mean making a painting: I find the dresses and props, work with a model on poses, photograph the ones I like, do a very detailed drawing, and then paint it.  It is pretty simple and straightforward.

If you had to give one piece of advice to individuals who want to take the plunge and pursue their dreams of being an artist, working for themselves, or starting their own creative business, what would it be?
Work every day because you never know when creativity will strike you.

What's your favorite medium? Why?
Oil paint...because is it awesome. I also like printmaking of all kinds.

What is your favorite piece that you’ve ever created, and why?
This always changes. But I remain very fond of the installation, "Circa," made up of  (84) 8" x 8" panels.
It took two years to complete. Why? Because it taught me patience and really helped me create my current signature style.

---

"Circa," full installation.

"Circa," detail.

What inspires you?
Life, color, modern design.

If you could study under anyone for a year, who would it be?
Greg Kurstin.  He's a musician who can play multiple instruments.  I would like to learn just one.

What's your biggest guilty pleasure?
Buzzfeed--it makes me laugh.

What's your favorite book and why?
Bossy Pants by Tina Fey.  It is the best book written for the modern woman.

How do you stay balanced? 
I do not.

"Cotton Candy" by Reemsten

How do you unwind? 
Visit with friends and walk around the Silverlake Reservoir (visit = cocktails).

If you were exiled to a desert island and could only bring 3 things, what would they be (have to ask it because I love this question!)?
An espresso machine with a lifetime supply of espresso--is that two? And two wood-working tools to make a boat to get off the island.

Do you listen to music, radio, or podcasts while creating? If so, what is your favorite thing to listen to?
Yes, Bird And The Bee, Neil Finn, odd and obscure covers, This American life, and Bossy Pants audio book (by Tina Fey).


If you could live anywhere for one year, where would it be and why?
All over Europe. The train travel is so awesome.  I was in Italy for two months last year and I could have stayed much, much longer.

Who are your favorite artists (or favorite works of art?)?
My favorites always change.  But these are always at the top of my list:
-"Lipsticks" by Wayne Thiebaud (and most other Thiebauds)
-"Phillip Glass" by Chuck Close

---

"Lipsticks" by Thiebaud

"Phillip Glass" by Chuck Close

Want to learn more about Reemtsen? You can view all of her fabulous work on her website, here. You can also see her paintings in-person at David Klein Gallery in MI, Skidmore Contemporary Art in CA, and De Buck Gallery in NYC. Her latest work will be presented at an upcoming exhibition at De Buck Gallery, which opens in September 2013.

Thanks for taking the time to tell me all about it, Kelly! 

Have any requests for other inspiring people that you'd like me to feature in this series? If so, let me know.

Namaste!
Mary Catherine