Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Brash
Hi Katie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I currently practice as a studio artist and art educator. Growing up, I moved every four years of my life. I went to high school in Pittsburgh, PA where I took AP art classes- and went on to study Global Health and Studio Art in college. I made my way down to Charleston just two weeks after I graduated in 2017. I was lucky to have very strong art professors in my college experience. They saw my potential early on- and pushed me to draw larger since I was taking up all useable space in smaller formats. At the time I was mostly focused on figural work- which has translated to my work now. In school we had to build a wall big enough to sustain my drawings, and I fell in love with the process of working large-scale, which is evident in my current practice. My professors later became professional mentors for me- assisting me in securing my current studio space at Redux, and helping me find opportunities that are a fit for my work. It was always obvious to me that art would be a part of my professional life, but I wasn’t sure in what capacity. Because of their influence, I wanted to explore education, and secured my Masters in Teaching at College of Charleston in 2022. In addition to my personal work, I teach classes and private lessons at Redux, and have experience with residency opportunities at local high schools. In the future, I’d love to build that experience out to college-level courses while continuing to show and build my individual body of work.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As with many creatives, one of the biggest obstacles I face is exposure. My devotion is to making the work, but you start to realize that you have to have accounting, marketing, social media, and people skills to make it lucrative. It is also difficult to define your work when the practice is ever-changing. I had a long period of creating work focused on historical relics and statues- and when you work yourself into a specific focus like that it’s hard to make new work or try new mediums without people asking questions. Working large-scale, especially on paper, is also a challenge. Paper is vulnerable and can be difficult to display. There is a lot of resistance- people want you to work on canvas with paint, or work smaller so that the art is more durable and accessible to them. I’m learning that you have to be persistent and confident in your output, and trust that your audience will find you.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I make large scale drawings on paper using charcoal, chalk pastel, conte crayon, or graphite. The majority of my work is figural or portraiture with one or two other elements- often florals, or building structures. Many of my previous drawings are black and white compressed charcoal on paper, though recently I’ve been exploring color with chalk pastel- and sense that I’ll continue that for a while. I work a lot from intuition- finding a reference that excites or motivates me, and letting the piece develop from that initial image. Compositionally, I like to fill the entire foreground- not leaving much room for moments of rest or distance.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
There are a few great books by Jerry Salz- an art critic that I love. I just read “How to Be an Artist” which had some interesting ideas about art-making, approaching the art market, and rejection. I like how Jerry demystifies complicated art concepts, and uses humor to appeal to not just artists- but all of his readers and other art lovers. As far as podcasts- I listen to Radio Rental with Rainn Wilson all the time. It has nothing to do with art, but if you’re into crime and scary stories you’ll love it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.katiebrash.art
- Instagram: @katiebrash_art
- Other: Tiktok: katiebrash_art
