Artist Highlight: Kaitlyn Hales
Kaitlyn Hales is a first-year social work student at the Lakehead Orillia campus. Between classes and spurts of inspiration, Kaitlyn is searching for her identity as an artist.
During our conversation, Kaitlyn described her growth as someone who enjoyed art while transforming into someone who creates it. Beginning her journey at an art-focused high school, Kaitlyn’s initial muse was the stage, with performing arts acting as a foothold as she began to explore the world of visual art. Ultimately, Kaitlyn finished high school with a “double major,” successfully bridging the worlds of performing and visual arts. From here, she faced serious decisions about the future: delve into the world of art, or pursue an education that would greatly impact her community?
“I seriously considered moving out east to Nova Scotia to attend an art school. There was a whole Pro v. Cons list. Although I love creating art, I’m not sure where I’d go with a fine arts degree. Social work just made sense. It will allow me to help people.”
In making this decision, Kaitlyn found her way to Lakehead, where in addition to her school commitments, she finds time for art. Her work revolves around spontaneity; no two pieces are the same. Carving, watercolour, embroidery, and collages are just a handful of the artistic pillars supporting Kaitlyn’s body of work.
Below are several of Kaitlyn’s pieces. A recurring theme of our conversation during the interview and throughout her artwork is growth and evolution. Both as an artist and as a person, Kaitlyn is very much in a growth period: something many of the students at Lakehead can relate to.
You can find Kaitlyn on Instagram @monarchsrepose.art
Cat: This piece was done on an app called Paper (highly recommended!). I prefer creating traditionally art over digital, but this was a fun experimental doodle. This character was inspired by a real beast, whose primary characteristics were 1. perpetual anger and 2. excessive roundness. Unfortunately, he’s not with us anymore: but if he was, I’m sure he probably would have hated this drawing. (RIP Monty) // Digital
Butterfly Study: This is a page from my sketchbook. In this monarch study, I used watercolour paints, pencil crayon, and even a couple of origami squares. It wasn’t intended to be a completed art piece, more of an exploration. Most of the pages in my sketchbook have a similar “scrapbook” feel to them because I so often just create art on any page space I have. There’s no real method or organization to my sketchbook, and that boundless approach allows for a lot of freedom in my creativity. // Mixed Media
Hand: I don’t really title my art, but if I did, this would probably be called Jake’s Left Hand (because it’s Jake’s left hand). One of my favourite qualities of art is the contrast of intense lighting/shadows, which I tried to accomplish in this piece. One thing that I love about hands and skin is the colours they possess. Undertones of pinks, blues and yellows — I used nearly every pencil crayon I had to create this drawing. For an intense shadow, I used black acrylic paint, and a change in background colour really brings out the highlights in this piece. // Mixed Media
Collage: My interest in collage art began when I started decorating the covers of plain sketchbooks. I can sit for hours flipping through magazines and picking out subjects, phrases or backgrounds. What I find so interesting about collage art is that is doesn’t require any traditional art skills — with patience (a lot of cutting and pasting), everyone can do it! It’s a perfect way to take old media and repurpose it into something of your own // Mixed Media
S’more: I’ve been drawn to watercolour art since high school, and although it’s my probably favourite medium, I barely work with it. With a lot of my art, there’s a fear that it won’t turn out the way I want to, which ultimately deters me from creating anything. As an artist, I think it’s important to set aside preconceived doubts and expectations and just allow that surge of inspirational energy to guide your process. This is something I am actively trying to accomplish in art, and all facets of life. // Watercolour