Take the Elevator
This podcast is purely about elevating people through individual life stories and experiences in the Elevator. In the Elevator, what's key is maybe changing your perspective; having self-actualization; embracing your purpose; and acting on it as we grow from one another. There is a whole different point of view when you look up to elevate.
Take the Elevator
333rd Floor: Psychedelic Artist - KK, Her Creative Odyssey, and Community Impact
Meet Kirsten, affectionately known as KK, as she shares her incredible journey with us. From her early days in art following a personal loss to her current creative endeavors, Kirsten’s story is a testament to the transformative power of creativity. We start by bonding over our shared experiences with extreme heat and the unrelenting battle against faulty air conditioning, setting the stage for a warm and relatable conversation.
We then delve into the heart of KK’s artistic philosophy, exploring centering, grounding, and mindfulness themes. Drawing fascinating parallels between art and yoga, we discuss the profound impact of being present and reflective. KK opens up about the meaningful process behind tattoo artistry and the importance of choosing the right design and artist. Through the symbolic journey of confronting fears and the painting “Rebirth,” we uncover the healing power of art and its role in personal renewal.
Finally, KK takes us behind the scenes of her community art project in Redlands, California, where her beautifully designed bus bench has become a local sensation. She shares her creative process, the inspiration behind her work, and how you can experience her art firsthand. We wrap up with a heartfelt conversation with another inspiring artist, celebrating the unique connections and shared moments that art brings into our lives. Join us for this enriching and creative episode that promises to leave you inspired and connected to the artistic world around you.
Look up, and let's elevate!
Hey, it's Jen the Builder and Corey, and welcome to another. Take the Elevator, and we've got a special elevator today that we're so excited to introduce you to in a few minutes indeed we do, but first gen, how hot has it been oh my goodness. So you know it's never cool when you leave work at like 4, 30 and it's 119 degrees yeah, that was crazy I was like, okay, just it's going to come down.
Speaker 1:And then I'm thinking, wait, we didn't park in an enclosed parking, we weren't out or the car wasn't out in the sun. I think this is the real deal.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man.
Speaker 1:And if anyone knows because, corey, I think we've been sharing that the AC has been kind of on and off, again, I am happy to say that in the body abode we've got the ac working upstairs and downstairs it was crazy here for a second because, uh, the upstairs went down and we're like, okay, we gotta just tough it out until the guy comes out and get to work, and then the bottom went down and it was like, oh no, we're in trouble.
Speaker 1:Seriously so. I'm so glad that we celebrated our birthday weekend before this weekend, where we you and I just really chose to stay home. Hey, I appreciate an Instacart, I appreciate an Amazon. It keeps us indoors, and that's what it was basically this weekend.
Speaker 2:And there you have it.
Speaker 2:There you have it. So this week we have a very interesting person and I'm going to be introducing her because I met her first and I'm happy about this, because when I find extremely talented and wise and inspirational people, I love to bring them to the elevator and allow them to tell their stories. I like to get the backstory, I like to get the present tense, the future tense how they began. And this is a creative, extremely creative person, individual. And so I'm being secretive because no one has a clue and I've been keeping this on the low. I haven't talked to anyone about this, but we're going to bring to the elevator miss christy, but she goes by kk.
Speaker 3:Welcome christy hi, thank you for having me on the show. I appreciate it or kk yeah is it christy or kirsten?
Speaker 1:I'm sorry, christ.
Speaker 3:Christy, oh, or actually it's Kirstie.
Speaker 2:Oh my bad.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay.
Speaker 3:That's okay. That's why I usually give another option and people can say KK. My name is usually kind of hard for others to say. It gets mixed in with the Christy or Christina, but it's actually Kirsten, and then you can call me Kirstie or KK, but my family usually calls me KK.
Speaker 1:Got it. We know how important a name is, don't we Corey oh?
Speaker 2:yeah.
Speaker 1:When Corey introduces himself, it's with a K. When I introduce myself as Genevieve, it's with a G, because I'm not Jen with a J, yeah, we get it. And so Kirsten, Kirstie KK, we're so glad that you're here all day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and the thing about it is that when I met her, she answered to that name. So that's why I was thinking, okay, I'm on point. You know, Right right Now, that I know we're all good.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:It's KK all day, as Jen said. That's right, so let's jump into this real quick. So this is how I originally met, well, introduced myself. I was introduced to her by a mutual friend and she didn't know this at the time, but he told me that she was interested in starting a podcast and possibly doing some you know work in this, in this genre, and so I just wanted to get to see what she was talking about, and and so I went over and I said hey, you know I'm Corey. I got to, you know I wanted to ask you about, you know, your interest in this work, and so I love that.
Speaker 1:I love that you sought her out after you heard that.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, I mean this is this is a, as they say, a niche type of deal, so a lot of people aren't cut out for, you know, talking and speaking with people. So I wanted to reach out to her, so I introduced myself to her and I found out all this wonderful information and then I got to see some of the stuff she did. She showed me in real time and I didn't actually follow right away, but she showed me and I was blown away. I said, oh my God, you are so freaking talented. It might not have came out like that. Maybe that's what I said in my mind.
Speaker 1:You're like calm down, corey.
Speaker 2:But I knew right away I got to have this girl on the podcast this is going to be some good stuff. So I'm going to stop talking. I'm going to let you introduce yourself and then just tell us what it is that you do and how you got started in that world.
Speaker 3:Okay, well, I'm a painter.
Speaker 1:Indeed, she is.
Speaker 3:And now a tattoo artist. I've been painting for almost 15 years now. I started painting when I was in high school. I'm a very passionate person, so whatever interest that I'm interested in, I go kind of full force. The time in high school I was very much a soccer player and an athlete and then I started going through some hard times. I lost a best friend, I kind of pushed soccer aside and then I just fell in love with painting and, like I said, I'm very passionate. So when I'm really interested in something I give it my all and it kind of just took off from there in high school. So I'm an acrylic painter. My subjects are usually very nature-based, also centered around self-discovery and finding purpose. That's kind of like my thing. Painting gives me my purpose. That's kind of like my thing. Painting gives me my purpose. And then, maybe about four years ago, I started tattooing. I just love art. Any type of art is something I'm very passionate about.
Speaker 2:Awesome. I'm going to jump in here real quick because I got a question about the painting. I want to stay on that just for a second and I did go through your Instagram and I've seen your passion in in real time and it's amazing, and so I just wanted to know what, what is some of the inspiration behind the paintings that you, because they're not all the same, so I'm I'm assuming that there's different things. That's inspiring this, uh, this passion there really is.
Speaker 3:So I get inspiration really from anything, but most of all my inspiration just comes from my purpose, which is creating and the act of creating. So I do have different techniques and inspiration when it comes to each piece. I call them my concept pieces. So if I have a subject that I really want to explore, there's a lot of planning and research and a lot of thinking and like digging through my own self to kind of create this concept and realize this painting physically. Let's see. And then I have others that are very more just go with the flow. I'm not even going to plan it, I'm not even going to design it. I'm going to just start painting and let I usually start in the center of the canvas and let a design start to speak to me and show me what it's supposed to be. So I do have different techniques and inspiration.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so, kk, there are a couple of things that you shared that I'd love to explore with you. First, sorry for the loss of your best friend, um. Thanks for sharing that with us here. I'm wondering how connecting to your purpose through art and creativity helped in your healing process from um, from losing your best friend well, um, sitting alone and painting.
Speaker 3:it's hard to do things alone and even nowadays, just like away from tv, away from social media, away from any distractions. So being able to sit and stare at a blank canvas and and try to make something really test you as a person, um, and you really have to go through some of your darkest thoughts, um, and dig around and and that is very healing in a way and it's something that has guided me. You know, I lost my, my best friend, in high school, and then, of course, I've lost people throughout the years since then, or relationships have changed, I've changed. So being able to just kind of silently create and really have to put everything forward, um is very healing. I don't think, people, if you just sit down and draw or sit down and paint anyone, um, without any distractions and just your thoughts, it really gets you and you really get to learn a lot about yourself and where your strength comes from what an incredible way to describe that.
Speaker 1:Like I really felt um your experience and um just more of who you are and what you're about, um. Another thing that you said was how you start in the center, do you? Know, how powerful that is. Um just, and I don't know if if anyone has brought this forward or if you've realized that um on the podcast here, take the elevator. We very much talk about centering and grounding, so the fact that your creativity starts at your core or at the core of the canvas, is even more powerful, just in method.
Speaker 3:I think that's something that I have recognized, but I don't think I've ever had anyone tell me that they recognize that. I think it is very metaphorical, yeah, and being grounded and centered is also something that I'm very it's very purposeful for me. It also comes from I also have a love of yoga, so doing yoga is another form of centering and grounding, so I think that's also where I pulled that from.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. I said we got to find out where she's at and I know we're going to get there eventually. But without even talking to you, I can sense who you are as a person through your artwork and KK.
Speaker 1:I love you, I love your work, I love what you're about and you know I smiled when you said you did tattoos. Because here's the thing, true story, when I work with other people, you know there's this icebreaker that a lot of people use is two truths and one lie. Have you heard of it? Yes, okay. So my one lie is always that I have three tattoos. I don't know why people assume that I would have tattoos, but I don't have any. And I've asked Corey hey, you know, in our age, is it too late, is it kind of silly, if I get a tattoo Because I have a particular one I want and I just knew, as a young person, I would have regretted whatever it was that I got, because it was just like haphazardly in thought. You know what I mean. So I'm just smiling ear to to ear, just thinking about hmm maybe I can get this tattoo because I love your artwork.
Speaker 3:I I'm just very drawn to it yeah, I think you can get tattoos at all ages but, I definitely understand that idea of not wanting to regret it. Um, I always recommend sitting on a concept or an idea or making sure that you find the right artist.
Speaker 3:It's a process for me, for me, you know, not for everyone, but getting a tattoo is a meaningful thing. Yeah, so being able to, like, sit with that idea and know that it's something, that a concept that is going to you're going to be able to connect with years later, and an artist who's going to be able to understand that concept and, uh, be able to tattoo it on you I don't know in a correct way and a way where they can connect with it. Yeah, there's purpose all around. Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1:I've been sitting on it a correct way and a way where they can connect with it. There's purpose all around. Yeah, for sure. I've been sitting on it, by the way, for 11 years, I think. I've sat on it a long time.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's a good amount of time. It might be time for you.
Speaker 2:It's about that time. So, kk, you also said something that jarred me, and I'll tell you why. Well, it's two things, it's twofold. You said digging around in your mind. Do you understand that people are so terrified to get into their own minds? And I heard this line and I want to know what you think about it. And I heard this line and I want to know what you think about it. Um on, on a particular movie, it said if you dig somewhere, the only thing you're going to get is dirty. And so you've. You've told us that digging around has brought you healing. It's brought you um creativity. How, how does that term sit with you? And how, how do you not connect with just getting dirty?
Speaker 3:Well, how do I not connect with not getting?
Speaker 2:dirty, yeah, because what I'm ultimately trying to say is like you've dug around in your mind to get some healing, so that's pretty much the opposite of just getting dirty. There's been a cleansing and a rebirth, so a a rebirth, so to speak, so that you can move forward oh yeah, um, I mean, that's part of that process and that cycle.
Speaker 3:There is the getting dirty, but you know, coming from that is you get clean. Um, a rebirth is actually a concept that I like to put in a lot of my paintings. I actually have a painting titled Rebirth and I love it.
Speaker 1:It's the one with like the fetus in the middle right, and then yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:A lot of people have misconceptions of like what that painting is about. But it is about being reborn and for me it's being reborn through creativity. So that fetus is connected to a symbol on the top right of the painting and you're connected to. For me, creativity and the act of creating is my spiritual connection. To me it is like God and it's being reborn through that connection to God and creativity.
Speaker 3:But for me, digging and getting dirty is part of that process. Like you can't have, you know, light without the darkness. And also another concept is just the lotus flower. It is a symbol of blooming through mud. So it's part of it. And even when you do dig and you find things about yourself that lead to healing, you also find other. There's layers to it, you find other traumas and know that you have to keep digging. The digging really, for me, just never ends. It's never going to end. You're going to have to continue to dig and you get some healing from it. And then you find out more about yourself that you need to work on're going to have to continue to dig and you get some healing from it, and then you find out more about yourself that you need to work on and need to heal. So it's kind of you have to get comfortable with the dirtiness and right the mud.
Speaker 1:That's so true because, even in the metaphor of digging, when you see something flower, bloom, tree grow, it's what's going on under the dirt. That's actually where the work's happening. So, without getting all in there and rooted and you know, centered and really into who you are, um, it does impact the fruits that show you know so good metaphor so let me tell you a process that I do when I meet someone that I'm intrigued with and I find interesting.
Speaker 2:I go through their social media and I purposefully don't listen to any of the sound that's coming from it Music. They're talking. I just want to see what the pictures and the videos look like, and then I'll go back and begin to listen to what's being said and the music that they've chosen. And the moment that I heard you playing a Portishead song, I was like oh my.
Speaker 1:God no way.
Speaker 2:I was like, okay, this is all good, so tell me how everything's lining up, everything is on good. So tell me how music Everything's lining up at that point right. Everything is on point. So KK, tell us how music plays a part in what you do.
Speaker 3:Oh, music is so To me, like, okay, I'm an artist, I'm a painter first and foremost, and to me painting is magic. But the ultimate magic, in my opinion, is music is that it can tell a story with just sound. I, I love hearing something and I can put, I can create like a whole scene in my head on what that that song can be placed in, a certain movie or what story it's telling. I, I'm very passionate about music, um, and it's something that's very important to me. I don't know, it's just magical. The emotions that it can bring to you and pictures that it can put into your head and your imagination is just unbelievable. Um, imagination is just unbelievable. Um, I'm pretty picky about my music, like I, I found that I like a lot of older music uh, quarter's head, of course is something that I really feel.
Speaker 3:You just feel the soul, yeah, from it and that's what sticks out. If music is very soulful and unique and I I don't know something that I connect to and I get very, I guess, obsessive, so I go through rounds. Um, if you found a painting where I put portishead, it's probably when I was going through a very obsessive um part of my life when I was very obsessed with portishead I love it.
Speaker 2:I love it so much. I want to know who else is on that playlist. Oh well, it's. I don't know if it's a playlist, I just know, but she's.
Speaker 1:You have a playlist, right kk, or?
Speaker 3:just yeah, I have um, uh, so I portishead is definitely one of. I'm a huge Radiohead fan. Also the Doors, pink Floyd, the Beatles, the Cranberries, nice, I love Primus, a lot of alternative music or, I guess, more psychedelic music.
Speaker 1:I'm sure I'm missing some or I'm blanking, but I love a perfect circle um yeah, speaking of perfect circle, I was watching you do your painting on what was it? Bus, uh, but a bench, and I was like how does she do her circles, like, like your hand is so steady, and when you do those curves and those lines, like I could just watch you, it's very healing all day long.
Speaker 3:I just sat there and just zoned out into this psychedelic yeah like yeah yeah, it's a lot of practice, a lot of uh, it's a lot of hours that are put in and and understanding your canvas and understanding, like, the medium that you're using like I've gotten really good with, like knowing, um, my paint and how to dilute my paint properly and how evenly it's going to spread on the canvas or like, for example, the bench.
Speaker 1:So, just a lot of practice and a lot of holding your breath not bad now, when I see your artwork, I think for me um an expansion of the songs and music you listen to. It's almost like the radio waves, or the frequency or the vibrations that you're picking up to from everything in your life, including music.
Speaker 3:Yeah, Energy is another big like something that I put in all my paintings. I do a lot of line work and that line work usually is coming off from like that main subject in my painting or main design just to signify the energy. I'm very big on energy, I think everything is energy, so it's important for me and my paintings to show that yeah, so you talked to us about your music, or the music that influences you.
Speaker 1:Who are your biggest influences as an artist, as far as fellow artists?
Speaker 3:um my biggest influences I I have. I have a few um. So I I'm a really big alex gray fan. He's another painter um his attention to detail and his, his artwork is just mind blowing. So I'll look at it and I, I, I stare at it. I'm like how did he even do that? The amount of detail and the color choices.
Speaker 1:And how it looks 3D like it's coming out of it right, yeah.
Speaker 3:Another person that I am very much inspired by is maynard from tool um. He has three bands tool a perfect circle and crucifer um and so I'm very inspired by his work ethic. His willingness to just put everything into all of his creative projects is something that I get inspired by people who really hone in on their craft. I'm a big Kobe fan and I love his dedication to his craft and everything that he put in, so that is very much like. That mentality is something that inspires me. So those are some three, three people that I'm really inspired by.
Speaker 2:Nice. You know what, as I listened to you more and more and more and I use those mores like that because I just I feel the connection and I understand why I was drawn to you now, because we have a similar mindset on creativity, on the people that we are inspired by, and not that they're identical people, but just the, the rationale behind why they inspire us.
Speaker 2:And you know me, being a musician and a writer, it's just um. I've always attached myself, in the creative mode, to the individual that has the same work ethic and the same drive. And it sounds like you're doing the same thing.
Speaker 3:Yeah, those people are people you want to, you know, look up to or surround yourself with, because it just inspiration breeds more inspiration.
Speaker 2:Right. So can you tell us about that bus bench that you did such an amazing piece of art on and how it came about? Just the whole story.
Speaker 3:Okay, just the concept or the way that I was able to get that.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm actually interested in how you got that piece to be able to paint on and then how it developed over the course of time once you started working on it so I'm, um, I'm a part of two different, so I'm a part of a gallery and a studio.
Speaker 3:So one of the galleries that I'm a member of um called the art lens and redlands. Um, they're a nonprofit and they were partnering with the city of Redlands and Omnitrans to beautify Redlands. Um, and that was going to be through the bus bench project and I was an artist that was selected. I did submit kind of a mock-up design and I was selected through that process and I didn't necessarily have a full-on concept. It was kind of more of a free flow. When it came to designing that bench. My favorite color is green. So I knew, you know what, I'm just going to have fun with. It 's my favorite color and I know that red is complementary to that color. So I kind of made those my colors that I was going to face this piece off of and I really wanted to have fun with just the shape of the bench. So if I don't have a concept, I always it's kind of similar to when I tattoo I look at the shape of what I'm putting this artwork on and try to complement that shape. And the first thing I thought of was, when you sit on the bench, that there's three seats on that one bench and I kind of wanted each seat to have something that you sit on Like. It's like, I think I put three flowers in in those spots and I wanted it to be kind of like a little flower seat that you sit on and it's pleasant when you're waiting for the bus, and then from there everything kind of just expanded, um, so it was really just playing with the shape of it and, um, color choices and colors that were going to complement each other.
Speaker 2:Nice. Can you tell us where we can find that bus bench?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so it's off of Eureka and Orange Street in Redlands. It's in the Vons and Trader Joe's parking lot next to Corner Bakery. It's kind of in almost in the downtown Redlands area. But yeah, off of Eureka and Orange in Redlands.
Speaker 2:Because I'm going to venture out and say that that bench will eventually become very famous from your artwork.
Speaker 1:You're going to sit on one of the flowers.
Speaker 2:I'm going to sit on one of the flowers.
Speaker 1:So am I, because there's three of them, Exactly, and I'm going to take a picture of it as well.
Speaker 3:I've had people do that. I've had friends that have come across it and they sit on it and they take pictures and they'll send it to me and it's really I didn't know like how big that was going to be. I actually got published in like a local newspaper in Redlands because someone who writes for it was walking by and loved it. It was really cool. It was a really good way of being interactive with the community, which was kind of different for me. I'm very like introverted and kind of more of a little art hermit, so it was nice to go out into the community and see people interact with it. So if you do that, send me a picture. I'd love to see.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. And so, talking about sending you something, how would people get in contact with you as far as seeing your art, or where you may have a museum, or I forgot what the term is but where you place your gallery, how would we find you?
Speaker 3:um, well, you can, I I keep my social media. It's pretty updated. You can find um any like show that I'm part of on my instagram at I blue, I bloom art, which is e-y-e-b-l-o-o-m-a-r-t? Um and I'm part of the art lens, so I'm I have my art up pretty much year round. I have like a little space there, so that's in Redland, and then I have my website, kirstencampstercom. I keep a lot of things updated there on my shows.
Speaker 2:What's coming next, things that I'm doing Nice and what's coming next, things that I'm doing Nice, and is there anything you want to mention that's coming next that you want to invite us out to or anyone else.
Speaker 3:So I don't have official dates for it, but things that are kind of coming up and to look out for. So I am a part of a studio called Eastside Art House in Riverside. I joined earlier this year and it's been really awesome. Actually, I do have a. So we're going to have like an open house community mixer at the Eastside Art House and that's on Sunday, September 29th. I also am going to be featured in an artist spread for the Riverside magazine. So I think that's going to be coming out, hopefully early October. So it's kind of something to look out for. And then I am going to be a part of a group show early next year. I believe it's going to be there January, February, but it's going to be at the Cheech Museum in Riverside.
Speaker 3:Oh nice, nice, Good stuff I don't have exact dates, but that's coming up, yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, we're hoping that you get a little bit of a following and then we can just kind of showcase where you're going to be and talk about it a little bit and keep people interested.
Speaker 1:That's huge and without giving too much information. Kiki um, at work my team does a monthly newsletter that goes out to everyone there. Um, I'd love to get in touch with you to see if we can feature you and and you should have seen the newsletter it gets emailed out every month.
Speaker 2:You know the one I'm talking about yes, yes, I think I just saw one this week yeah, yeah, exactly yeah, I, I had a good opportunity to be featured in that and it uh showed a lot of people what I was doing and and the direction I was going in and and so I think you'll get some good feedback from that. And, man, I wish you nothing but the best, and we're rounding up to 31 minutes, so I don't want to hold you all day, but I just really got excited about you being on, and so I think people that translates and people are going to be like, oh he's way excited right now.
Speaker 3:Right, I appreciate you guys having me on. It was my first time being a guest on a podcast, so it's really cool and and it's always nice to connect to people who have, as you said, similar interests and connect to the same theme. Yeah, so I appreciate your time.
Speaker 2:Appreciate yours.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think KK my takeaway on this, because I think that's so important when we meet new people or we hear someone's story is to really just reflect so in your art. I believe that you're elevating everyday moments and experiences throughout the world and the people that get touched by what you do. I also see the beauty and the meaning in your world all around me when I experience your art, and that's just through social media. And as soon as this weather, the temperature, goes down, I am headed to that place that you've said, where your art sells. I think you I don't know if it was Redlands or Riverside, but we can get that information from you. But Corey's going to take me shopping because I just want your artwork all around me.
Speaker 1:So thank you, thank you so much for being such an inspiration and showing us really growth mindset, where you just are all in and um. You are no joke and you are so committed to your purpose and what you bring to the world. So thank you for being here. It's really special thank you.
Speaker 3:That was so sweet of you to say for sure.
Speaker 1:Well, maybe one day we can have you back. We would love that um and so you know us to take the elevator.
Speaker 2:We say, look up and let's elevate elevate yes, there you go, elevate Every day, elevate Every day.
