This interview is part of #MixedMediaMondays, a way Main Street Calumet is highlighting the human capital of artists in our area. Artists who live and work in Calumet (or have in the past) are welcome to complete a survey style interview to be featured. What's your name? *
Katie Jo Wright What's your Calumet connection? I moved to Calumet, MI in 2007 from Twin Peaks, California with my then-boyfriend. I was just a youngin' really. I helped launch 5th & Elm Coffeehouse and later went on to be involved with other businesses and organizations in and around Calumet. I use to live above Cross Country Sports in the cutest apartment and worked at the Michigan House for many years as a bartender as well. Calumet holds a dear place in my heart. I've been a member of the Copper Country Curling Club for many years, and I am proud to say that I helped organize and played the first-ever roller derby games at the Calumet Colosseum. How can people see/ buy your work? Please provide a social media handle, website, or other location where people can follow you/find your work? www.katiejowright.com is my website - instagram handle is @artbykatiejo - I have a little shop on my website that has a couple print items patrons can purchase. I use my website and instagram as a way to promote what and where my artwork is about. How long have you been creative? Did you have any formal training? I have been creating doodles, color, and doing fiber work since I was very young. I took art classes throughout my elementary and high school years, but have no "formal" training besides that. I learn by hanging out with other creatives and supporting them. What type of art do you make and what's your preferred medium? I like the pen to paper medium most, and the digital versions I do are quite similar to the nuts and bolts way of drawing and doodling, except for the awesomeness of ctrl+z. Most of my subject matter are things related to nature and people, often humorous and whimsical. I make comics and illustrations, publication spots, and sometimes fun logos for regional small businesses and organizations. I have painted extensively as well and from time to time embark on large scale murals. What have you been working on lately? What's been inspiring you? I am inspired by illustrators who draw in my style that have "made it." Often I think my whimsy child-like style of illustrating can't be used in business or taken seriously or given value, but as I learn and come to meet other illustrators I am encouraged that there is no wrong way to "art" and all successful artists have one main thing in common, "stickwithitness." I have been focusing on "re-booting" older works to improve them and be re-inspired by them as well. It has been good practice for when I'm not sure "what to do" but know I need to work on "me" art. Finding the balance between self-investment, and client-investment is important. I'd like to bring into fruition this children's book my friend and I have been working on for several years which has had many starts and stops, so that's where my attention has been lately. Tell us whose work you've been admiring lately! I really admire Andy J Pizza, and illustrator from Ohio who also has a podcast dedicated to "Creative Pep Talk." He speaks a lot in analogies, and I find that way of explaining things very similar to the way I think and teach. Please provide an image or video of your work and tell us about it. I made this large scale color-me poster comprised of birds found in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (for sale on my website). Birds are one of my favorite totems and symbols. I'd like to be better and identifying the birds found up here where we live so I started by drawing them one by one in this large poster until I couldn't fit anymore. With birds, coloring is so important for identifying them, but with this color-me poster, you can make them your own, too.
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This interview is part of our #mixedmediamondays series that highlights the significant human capital that exists in Calumet in the form of artists. We ask creative types that live or work in the Calumet area (or have lived or worked in the Calumet area) from any genre to participate! Questions from Main Street Calumet are in bold below, artist answers in italics. First things first, what's your Calumet connection Carrie?
Our connection with Calumet is that it was a stop on our honeymoon four years ago that drew us to move here. We live in Laurium. What type of art do you make and what's your preferred medium? For about a decade I have worked exclusively in oil paints. How long have you been creative? Did you have any formal training? I always enjoyed making art as a child, but became most interested in my last year of high school, which resulted in my decision to get a Bachelor of Fine Art in painting and drawing. I also have taken five workshops through Grand Central Atelier in New York City and one at the Great Lakes Academy of Fine Art in Duluth, MN. I also learned from books on oil painting because that's the only way I could grow at it for a lot of years. I have devoted time to learning about painting on-line for the last decade also. What have you been working on lately? What's been inspiring you? The painting on my easel now is a very red sunset that my husband and I, and other diners witnessed from Fitzgerald's Restaurant on New Year's Eve 2019. It was such an unusual one that everyone in the place got quiet for a moment. I have been focusing on our beautiful Keweenaw for my last couple dozen paintings. Tell us whose work you've been admiring lately! My favorites are the Nordic landscape painters from the mid to late 1800's to early 1900's. You will see in these paintings of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and other countries so much of what we have here in the Keweenaw: pastels against deep earth tones, our pine trees, snow or our seascapes and rocky coastlines. Please provide an image or video of your work and tell us about it. Although I primarily paint, I also illustrated, wrote, and published an alphabet book that intertwines Psalm 148 of the Bible, and is available at all major on-line book stores. This book is enjoyed by both adults and children and is hard to categorize. The vocabulary and images are complex and unique so appeal to grown ups, but it has an innocence and delight that is appropriate for children as well. The colors, birds, animals, flowers, and other parts of creation call out to each other in their joy and admiration for the Creator. The title is "Song for the Maker: an Alphabet", and it is available in hardcover, paperback, and as an e-book. How can people see/ buy your work? At the Vertin Gallery in Calumet, Michigan, when it reopens. Until then via our website. On this website, and at Vertin Gallery, viewers may also see photographs by my husband, Rob Mohn. |