Featured Student Artist | February 2024

Kathryn (Kati) VanAernum

What did you enjoy about your experience in Speak to Me From Everywhere?

Speak to Me was a lifeline in the pandemic. We were all separated, and it really did a wonderful job of creating a community of makers. I think one of the most fascinating things is that Laurie was able to capture the essence of her unique teaching style in this online platform, creating the same sense of community and individual discovery. Nothing was lost in this format. If you’ve not taken a workshop with Laurie, you are in for a treat, because whatever technique that is taught, it serves something much deeper and richer inside of you. It’s always about facilitating the internal conversation between the maker and what comes from that.

Additionally, the beauty of having Speak to me in an online format is the ability to rekindle what you learned. Oftentimes you go to a workshop, you feel really inspired, you make good work, and then you come home. And it's sometimes a challenge to keep that energy or inspiration going. You do forget the instruction, no matter your intention of wanting to remember everything that happened. It just hasn't been my experience that I remember it all. So, I love the fact that I can tap back into that workshop experience, in my own time. I can go and do the whole thing in order, or I can go back into specific areas where I’m looking for a little reinforcement.

What did you find difficult about Speak to Me?

I don't think I found anything difficult about Speak to Me. I took the class twice before it was offered in the way it is now, and both times were amazing and different even though the video content is the same. As I said, I couldn’t imagine how Laurie could capture her unique style in a video format, but she truly did. Additionally, the beauty of having Speak to Me in an online format is the ability to rekindle what you learned. Oftentimes you go to a workshop, you feel really inspired, you make good work, and then you come home.

What is the strangest object in your studio?

The strangest object I have in my studio is a skull of some type of mammal. I'm not sure if it's a squirrel or a cat. But I collect things on my morning walk. And I have I came across the skull and I just think it's fascinating and it gives me an opportunity to use it for blind contour warm ups.

Cat Skull Blind Contour | © Kathryn VanAernum

Tell us a little bit about your practice as a maker. Where do you thrive? Where do you struggle?

As a maker, I am interested in a few different areas. I'm a photographer, and I spend time working in that realm. But I also love making things with my hands away from the digital darkroom. Particularly engaging with pen and ink, and watercolor. I also like gel plate printmaking.

I thrive at the beginning of a project and I think one of the reasons why I'm drawn to watercolors – I'm not a detailed water colorist – I love the partial statement of watercolor. And I think I do my best work when I am more spontaneous with it.

I have an extremely active mind and getting into flow can be hard for me. Sometimes I think I’m not making progress, going deeper, but if I look at my sketchbooks, there is evidence of more mastery, but I want to keep going. Struggle can also take the form of too chaotic a studio. If the surfaces aren’t cleared off to work (or at least one), I will avoid the studio. So being disciplined enough to make sure the studio is welcoming is always a work in progress.

What is one intention you have as a maker this year?

My one intention I have for my practice this year is consistency of practicing every weekday for 10 minutes. Weekend days for 1 hour. I have a demanding full-time job, but I believe these are achievable goals. When I first met Laurie as a student at Naropa University, she was the first to emphasize the idea that only 5 minutes a day is enough to invite the Muses. What took me a while to understand is that developing of the habit is the most important thing. It’s everything. It’s like any relationship, you must show up consistently if you want to have a good one.

Additionally, I’m putting parameters on what I’m working on in those 10 minutes. I’ve discovered even the 10-minute boundary can seem too big without more specifics. For example, February is going to be making watercolor sky paintings. One of the great things I’ve learned from Laurie is to work in a limited palette. So, each week will have a different combo of 3 primary colors, which facilitates color mixing discoveries. This takes the burden off the question, “what am I going to make?” This way I can take one aspect of making that I am attracted to and give it the entire month for it to be just about that.

You can reach out to Kati: Kvanastudios.com Instagram: @kvanastudios