Kathleen Burns
AQ is our series of hardcover catalogs celebrating extraordinary women artists. Available on Amazon. Visit the AQ Catalog Webpage to learn more.
AQ Volume IV artist Kathleen Burns is an illustrator from Chicago currently pursuing her MFA in Illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Drawing from her background in anthropology and fashion design, she is interested in depicting scenes of everyday life using color, pattern, and a shape-based language.
She is influenced by painters such as Matisse, David Hockney, Wayne Thiebaud, Fairfield Porter, and Georgia O'Keeffe for their use of color and simplification, as well as modern fashion-focused artists like Bijou Karman, Kelly Beeman, and Hope Gangloff.
Looking to illustrators of the mid-20th century, Burns aims to bring humanity, environment, and overall context back into focus in fashion illustration, which often favors sharp, abstract figures with minimal backgrounds. She explores portraiture, surface design, and still life, striving to depict scenes of peace and softness. Burns prefers matte mediums on canvas or wood panel for her paintings, with gouache being her favorite, while combining traditional and digital techniques for her illustrations.
In the future, Burns hopes to pursue both illustrative and fine art, merging her passions for traditional media, fashion, pattern, color theory, interior design, and anthropology. For now, you can find her painting away in her color-filled art studio and apartment in the sky.
www.kathleenbillustration.com
What inspired you to become an artist, and how did you decide to commit to this path?
I have always been creative but studied liberal arts and thought I would end up in academia. It was not until 2020, when I started drawing digitally and learning about illustration careers, that I saw this as a potential path for me. As I continue to pursue my master's degree in illustration, I have only become more encouraged that this is the right path for me. Art has also been very healing for me, and I want to be able to share joy and my individuality through my work, hopefully inspiring others to be themselves and find peace and beauty in everyday moments.
Could you share the story or concept behind your recent work?
My recent work has focused on surface design and fashion illustration. To me, there is no hard line between fashion design, surface design, interior design, or anthropology (how we as humans live our day-to-day lives). I realized that I never connected with the more modern style of fashion illustration that is abstract, with bold black lines and hard edges. Instead, I prefer illustration styles of the 1960s, such as those by Jack Potter, where we recognize real humans (even if stylized) wearing fashionable clothing in interesting, everyday settings. I want to bring those ideas back and combine all my interests into both illustration work and fine art paintings.
What was the most challenging part of your path so far? How are you navigating this obstacle?
The most challenging part was having the courage to dive into an art education without knowing where I would end up and believing in myself along the way. In the end, if you don't believe in yourself or the work you are putting out there, no one else will! Being your own biggest cheerleader will motivate you to keep learning and improving when you hit a rut. I also remind myself that, despite what others feel about my work, I will always enjoy the process of creating. I create for myself just as much as I do for others to enjoy.
What role does experimentation and exploration play in your artistic practice?
It took a lot of experimenting with materials and styles for me to end up with gouache as my main medium. I'm also always looking at other work, especially paintings in museums, to see how I might use elements in my own way. For example, I recently visited Georgia O'Keeffe's "My New Yorks" series and can't wait to create my own series inspired by the view of downtown Chicago from my high apartment window.
Do you have any start or stop rituals before creating?
I like to look through my computer photo album, where I always store reference photos—flowers, color combinations, home decor, interesting shapes. I pull many into a folder on my desktop and sit with them to develop a concept. Once I have a detailed sketch, it's time for the fun part: painting. I love having the TV on in the background as I work; good TV is just another form of art and culture to me, and I’ve pretty much watched everything!
What message do you hope your art conveys to the world?
I hope my art brings a sense of joy and calm to viewers. I use colorful palettes, and even if someone prefers neutrals, I hope they are still intrigued by my subject matter or see something mundane in a new light. There are so many interesting parts of daily life we overlook when on autopilot. I like the idea of people relating to these little moments and discovering beauty they hadn't noticed before.
Share a mantra or favorite quote that keeps you going.
"My painting is what I have to give back to the world for what the world gives to me." –Georgia O’Keeffe
