Battlemouth

I remember when I was growing up in my conservative christian elementary school (a tale for another time), they never took art very seriously. Our art teacher changed every year, and the only constant was that our teacher was always a very old hippy, and had horrible taste in art. Even as a sheltered, ignorant 4th grader, I remember thinking to myself, as the teacher showed us some picture that had been taken off of the wall of a cheap motel, “that is not art”. When the internet grew popular enough for my dad to decide it was not the devil, we got dial up at the house, and my eyes began to open. It wasn’t until my parents divorce and the coinciding moving out of my mother and I that I really got full reign of the world wide web (before that my dad horded it like a leprechaun gaurds his pot of gold…which I guess I am really not sure how well leprechauns actually gaurds their pots of gold, or if they even have pots of gold anymore, but either way the point is he wouldn’t let me on the computer…). It was at that point when my eyes began to open, and I discovered a world of art I had always known existed but only saw when I closed my eyes at night. From then on, whenver mom would take me to Chicago, I would beg to go to the Chicago Art Institute for the latest exibits. When I got to highschool I took extra art classes instead of study halls, and by my senior year had found a way to spend litterally 3 quarters of my day in the art rooms doing whatever I wanted. Then my dad found out what I was doing and told me I was “wasting my time, no one can make a living as an artist….” , and for some reason I listened…After highschool I never picked up a camera, or some clay, again. I had even earned the Scholastic Art scholership for a couple 3d ceramic pieces I had mad….instead I went to school for buisness….and failed out….what the fuck.

But deep in my heart there has always been a walled off area reserved for all types of art, Its why I fell in love with comics, why I have such a rediculous obsession with overpriced vinyl toys, and why I still search out new and fantastic artists in my spare time, and then harrass them into giving me an interview. So without further adeau I give you……Kat Brunnegraff, and the first in a series of independent artist interviews!

I found Kat on the Kid Robot forums. She posted a shirt design that I happened to enjoy very much (http://forums.kidrobot.com/viewtopic.php?t=133942). From there I followed her to twitter and since then we talk a fair amount and I have gotten to see some of her fantastic custom toy work as it comes out! A current ressident of the great state of Ohio, it is great to see such talent nestled deep in the heart of the Mid-West. Kat has a show coming up entitled “Into the Darkness” at the prestigious 1AM (http://1amsf.com/) in San Fransisco, Ca so if you are in the area be sure to stop by and see some of this fantastic work in person! Especially Kat’s “Night Walker” custom series, which is getting some fantastic reception from the press!

The following is a short glimpse into the mind of the extremely talented Kat
Brunnegraff:

Who is Kat Brunnegraff?

Kat Brunnegraff is a crazy lady, who annoys her two best friends and her husband by talking about art all the time, who likes to paint and make/ customize toys of all kinds. She also likes to garden, watch the red hawks that are nesting near her house soar in the sky, ride her bike, unsweetened tea (the southern girl in her loves sweet tea too), spend time with her husband, also she likes to talk about herself in the third person.

When did you decide to try your hand at art?

As a serious profession? When I was 15 my teacher at my high school saw one of my portraits that I had drawn of my favorite singer, Alanis Morissette and encouraged me to practice drawing more and she really helped me grow as an artist. I didn’t decide on this particular path I’m on until about… a year after I had graduated from college… so 2007. Though I’ve been an admirer of Urban Vinyl since the late 90’s.

Who would win in a fight you or Freida?

Fist fight or art fight? Art fight she wins, because she helped define art in her generation. Fist fight, me. haha

What is your favorite piece of your own work? …Someone else has done?

My favorite piece of my own is “The Argyle Owl’s Moon Song” it was my first painting in the style I work in now, and I feel it is my most solid piece.

My favorite piece by my favorite artist Mary Blair is a piece she did while working on the movie Peter Pan of Peter Pan with the Mermaids. It’s so simple and beautiful and amazing.

For artists just starting out, what is the best piece of advice you could offer?

Make new art all the time! With as many different mediums as possible to appeal to as many people as possible. Post your art on every website you can within your chosen niche.

What is your favorite medium?

Acrylic Paints on Wood, Preferably Poplar or Birch, though Poplar is easier to find around here.

Would you rather be a world famous artist posthumously? Or wealthy now, but never be able to be that famous for your work?

Well… both have their benefits… good god that’s a hard question to answer.
Fame is basically the desire to be remembered. But I could be happy to just be remembered by my family so I’ll take the wealth and use it to make a good life for me and those I love.

Also to build a kick ass house.

If you would like to see more of Kat’s work, or order your very own Brunnegraff masterpiece visit http://www.kat-scratch-fever.blogspot.com/ !

And be sure to follow @katbrunnegraff on twitter!