Rising Stars: Meet Kaitlyn Simonson

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

Hi Kaitlyn, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My name is Kaitlyn Simonson, and I am a high school artist. I’ve been doing art in one form or another my whole life. From finger paintings in kindergarten to pottery camp to online self-education over covid. As I head into the uncertainty of college applications and future planning, I hope to make my passion for art into my vocation. 

My time during covid was, as it was for many other artists, a period of exponential growth in the quality and quantity of my work. Countless hours spent watching drawing tutorials on YouTube, many failed projects, and several learning experiences in new techniques and mediums characterized my pandemic years. During this time, I also discovered Inktober. I’ve completed the 31-day challenge every year since, and it has changed the consistency my art practice. This period of more simplistic life focused me more on my art and its importance to me. 

This past year I moved from Durham, NC to Hillsborough, NC. I’ve been very lucky to live in two places with vibrant art communities. This past year I have entered my art in numerous art competitions and shows like the scholastic awards and Congressional Art competitions as well as local events and shows at the Hillsborough Arts Council and the North Carolina Museum of Art. 

Last summer, I did some traveling and enjoyed plein-air watercolor landscapes and urban sketches. For my senior year, my goal is to launch an online storefront selling stickers and prints as well as to participate in more community art events. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Any author, artist, or musician will tell you rejection is an integral part of the creative career path. I cannot count the number of times my work was rejected from this agency or that contest. When this happens, it is easy to focus on the singular, the one negative comment, the rejection letter, but the experience is not a loss. To use a hackneyed expression, It’s about the journey not the destination. The process of preparing and creating with the purpose of being rejected and finding the motivation to do so is difficult but worth it for the experience. 

My future as an artist is very uncertain. In the sometimes-overwhelming gauntlet of college applications and future career choices that are piled upon students my age it is intimidating, exciting, and scary to proclaim a future in the arts. When people ask me what I want to do– which seems like the only question anyone is asking me nowadays– and I say something in the arts, people are either A. scared for me or B. happy and scared. For any artist or creative, carving out a place in a world that doesn’t always cooperate is challenging and selective. I hope in my life and career to have the privilege of doing what I love. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a full-time high school student at Eno River Academy High School in Hillsborough, NC. Between AP classes, band, and the gauntlet of college applications as well as a part-time job, I practice my art. My mediums of choice include watercolor, inks, and oil pastels, as well as digital art and ceramics. I am aspiring to be a graphic designer or illustrator, so I am currently working on my college portfolio artworks as well. 

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I have been very fortunate to luck into most of my mentors. The first person that, in my mind showed me that an artistic career was possible was Sarah Howe. Sarah is an independent potter and ceramicist in Durham, NC, and I have been lucky enough to learn and be inspired by her since I was a little kid. As a student, camp counselor, and at the farmers market, Sarah has always been gracious with her time and teaching to encourage and support me in learning about what life could look like as an artist. Working for Sarah at the Durham Farmers Market in turn, has allowed me to meet and talk to many local artists and entrepreneurs that have different stories and advice from years of experience. One piece of advice I would have for other young artists and inspiring creatives is get out in the community and talk to the people in your community that are living that lifestyle. Go to the Farmers Market or a local Co. Op. Don’t be afraid to send emails, ask questions, and generally pester people in your community. Nine times out of ten you will find encouragement and a great conversation, maybe even a mentor. 

Contact Info:

• Website: auspiciouschickenart.weebly.com
• Instagram: @auspiciouschickenarts