Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiana Mackinnon.
Hi Kiana, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Hi I’m Kiana MacKinnon with Mini Portrait Studio. I specialize in pop-ups where I make custom miniature portraits of things people hold dear to their hearts. I do painted in acrylic or drawn on paper in ink. Usually I’m memorializing people’s pets or people they love (more power to them if it’s his or herself lol). I’ve been doing my mini portrait pop-ups for about 2 years now, but I’ve had a lot of practice in drawing and painting under pressure.
I’ve been in and out of South Carolina since I was 11. I lived in Tega Cay up until I was 22, and then I made the dramatic decision to live and work in Alaska where I started working seasonal jobs in hospitality. My jobs took me from Alaska to Utah to Maine to Quebec to Arizona to Montana, and pretty much Covid is what stopped me from continuing that life forever. Each season would last about 5-6 months, then I’d usually travel abroad in the month between jobs where I’d visit my new international friends.
I’ve always been very sentimental and have treasured memories, experiences, and friends above everything else. Since a lot of my life has been spent moving from place to place, I’ve usually kept a pocket-sized sketchbook with me at all times, and that’s how I’ve gotten addicted to working small. I like art that is travel-friendly so you can take the things you want to remember with you wherever you go no matter how small your luggage or your living space might be.
Another thing that I’m passionate about is sharing my personal stories through writing and visual diaries. I used to feel very alone and misunderstood, and writing was a secret passion I found accidentally when I found that I had a lot to say but not always someone to listen. Eventually I’ve found people that will listen, so it’s been pretty encouraging to write and share more.
About 4 years ago, I started writing a big book about every crush I’ve ever had. I just wanted to understand my attraction patterns so I could hopefully become more aware and prevent future mistakes from happening. I got overwhelmed with how big it was getting, and then I saw an Ad on Instagram for this event in August called “Zinefest”.
I took it as a sign from the Art Gods that I should participate even if I didn’t have any zines or comics made yet. I had several stories I just needed to polish up and get print-ready, and miraculously, I created 6 comics about relationship mishaps within 3 weeks. I’ve yet to make at least 6-8 more. And to clarify, most of these people I was never in a relationship with, but they were all people I either found myself deeply inspired by or deeply disgusted by and sometimes both. Sometimes I find the opportunity to read them aloud at Open Mic Nights I find around town.
Aside from writing about my personal failures, I also just enjoy going out to restaurants alone and drawing my dining experience. Those are more family-friendly, wholesome stories I share. I just want people to know how much I appreciate them for feeding me not just delicious food, but great solo dining experiences where I often arrive solo and leave with new friends. Charleston is a solo-diner’s paradise especially since it’s so hard to get a reservation anywhere on short notice and dining alone often means I can get in at the bar instantly.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Being an artist wasn’t always something I envisioned myself doing. I knew I belonged to the arts more than I did athletics. That much was obvious from a young age. At five years old I had my first dance recital. I remember feeling this warm glow from my chest area and finding it hard not to smile. I loved that feeling of being on stage, but alas it was obvious that choreography and dancing was not my forte. I think I maybe just liked the feeling of being seen.
My Mom pulled me out of dance, and I told her I wanted to be a singer instead. For a couple years I had a vocal coach , but that started to feel awkward when I noticed that my instructor would serenade my mom for his “warm-up”. He’d always sing “You are the Sunshine of My Life” while looking directly at her. Back then she was oblivious to this and paid no interest, so when I told her, she didn’t believe me.
Then one day I asked my Dad to take me instead, and the instructor didn’t do any of the performative bullshit or serenading for my Dad lol. So that was the end of singing for me. I still love karaoke but that’s about the extent of my singing these days.
Drawing came about when I entered 4th grade. Our first class project was self-portraits, and I remembered seeing all of our portraits hung up on the wall next to each other. It was humiliating. Every kid in my class seemed to be naturally gifted, and I was clearly the odd one out. I looked like a potato. So sheer embarrassment became my motivating factor to get better at drawing.
I’m never afraid to be the worst or least talented in a room because it just means I have more to measure up to later. I haven’t reached my full potential yet if there are people in the same room as me with more skill and experience. In that way, competition can be healthy because it pushes you to learn.
What started as a way out of embarrassment became a new escape for me. As a child I was always pretty introverted. I just walked around at recess before I found drawing. Now I do both sometimes at the same time!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Professionally I’ve always worked in entertaining or hospitality jobs. My first job ever was pretty unconventional. As a 15 year old, I was hired to be a costumed face painter for a traveling party clown. Since the nature of creative jobs is gig-based a lot of times, I always come back to hospitality jobs to fill the gaps.
My time spent working in hotels, restaurants, and retail has given me a special empathy for the service industry. It makes a lot of sense, really. During the day we might have to please people all day, and our art is where we please ourselves to recharge.
I used to feel shame around this. I felt that I wasn’t a “true creative” for being employed part-time at a restaurant or a store, but over time I’ve given myself more grace. The more I’ve hung out alone at restaurants, the more it has opened my eyes to how many people out there are just like me. A lot of us are undercover artists.
Aside from my mini portrait pop-ups where I paint or draw custom portraits, I also sell comics I’ve written about relationships, I pet-sit, I pickup event catering shifts, and I work as a barista/bartender! Life is always eventful and the variety of jobs and circumstances keeps life interesting.
I guess what sets me apart from other creatives is I’m always dabbling in something new. Sometimes I want to write, then I want to draw, then I paint, then I sculpt. Between jobs and hobbies there are a million things I’m doing. Also, it’s such a great way to network, and I’m not afraid to tell someone I know about a unique opportunity I think they’d be perfect for. I’m all about collaboration and encouragement over competition.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory is probably my 9th birthday party. At this age, a lot of girls were having “makeover parties” where they all wanted to look perfect and pretty. That’s pretty normal, but I was a unibrow kid with a mustache, gap teeth, and unbrushed hair, so I knew winning a beauty contest on my birthday wouldn’t be possible. So to play with my strengths, I asked my Mom to help throw me an “Ugly Makeover Party.”
We had a contest to see who could do the ugliest hair and makeup, and I won! It was a great way to get everyone laughing instead of feeling insecure. Or maybe both!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Mini-portrait-studio.com
- Instagram: miniportrait_studio
