Meet Kathleen Elliot | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kathleen Elliot and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kathleen, can you tell us about an impactful book you’ve read and why you liked it or what impact it had on you?
One of my favorite books is Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. I especially like to listen to the audiobook, because Elizabeth read it herself. She wrote about curiosity and courage, about how to honor ideas that are looking for someone to fulfill them, and about living with creativity as a best friend. This book makes me feel honored and happy to be an artist. As an introvert, it amazes and inspires me to hear someone share her inner Self journey so openly. I wish I could live in this book. I wish I could be friends with Elizabeth, hang out and share the journey of Big Magic creativity together.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I like to work in series of art. This enables me to explore different themes or ideas. I’m most excited about two series.

Around 2013 I learned about GMOs, genetically modified organisms, and started learning about food issues – GMOs, pesticides, sugar additives and over-processing, purposeful addictiveness of foods, food-induced diseases, food inequality, etc. Of course this learning seeped into my art and I named the series Questionable Foods. I started making clear glass branches with fruits made out of cut and sewn soda cans and food boxes. The series has grown as my learning about nutrition and the food industry has. Currently I’m working on a large wall-hanging quilt combining fabrics and food boxes.

I love the series’ connection to early Pop artists and their commentary about consumerism and mass media culture, I thoroughly enjoy working with actual food packaging, and I hope the series of work brings awareness to the debilitating effects of many of our food products.

The other series I’m excited about is very new. In reaction to recent attacks on women’s reproductive rights, I have started a series of feminist art. My vision is to work in collaboration with perhaps 25 other women artists on the series. Women bring to the world extraordinary sensibilities and talents that have long been undervalued, and women working together have a unique energy and power that I aim to support. So far we have 4 pieces started in the series. I’m eager and excited to see the artworks that will come out of these collaborations. Every single one will be a unique surprise.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Some of my favorite places in the SF Bay Area:

Muir Woods National Monument. An awe-inspiring primeval forest of redwoods.

The Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco is a treat! It’s a gorgeous old building packed full of exotic plants and flowers.

The California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. For my 60th birthday, we went with all five of our grown children and two nephews to the Academy. There are exhibits of a wide variety of lifeforms and habitats. Fantastic!

The Hakone Gardens in Saratoga, a stunning, traditional Japanese garden.

The Children’s Discovery Museum in San Jose, if you have little ones. There are loads of interactive exhibits and activities to explore and play with. Our granddaughter had a blast here!

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is fabulous experience of sea animals and habitats.

There are many great art venues in the area. SFMOMA, The Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, the Cantor Arts Center in Palo Alto, the San Jose Museum of Art, the Oakland Museum of California (they have a wonderful natural history museum on the bottom floor!).

As far as food, one of my favorite places to eat is Sushi Kuni in Cupertino. The best sushi I have ever had, including a trip to Japan a few years ago. Delicious food!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband Brent deserves a huge shoutout! If not for him, I could not do what I do today. He has supported me in numerous ways from practical support such as financial, equipment set up and maintenance, and building shipping crates, to enormous emotional support and a bottomless faith in me.

Then, I am grateful to the glass art community. Artists who work in glass are uncommonly generous, openly sharing knowledge and techniques, and supporting each other. I have learned from some of the best glass artists in the world, and give particular thanks to Laura Donefer, Robert Mickelsen, and Shane Fero, three generous mentors.

Website: www.kathleenelliot.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathleenelliot/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-elliot-artist-6bb292a/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathleenelliotartist

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHYf45AFHAucmBhtAAaWN5A

Image Credits
Keay Edwards