National Artist Day on October 25th Featuring @madam.mess

October 10, 2024

Art has the power to inspire, transform, and bring joy to people of all ages. On National Artist Day, we're excited to spotlight the incredibly talented @madam.mess, an artist known for her vibrant, expressive works that capture the beauty of everyday moments. Her use of bold colors and playful techniques makes her art stand out! Join us as we dive into her creative process, explore her favorite tools (including our very own Kwik Stix!), and learn more about how she brings her imaginative visions to life.

Stay tuned for an inside look into @madam.mess’s artistic journey and find out how you can unleash your own creativity, just like she does!

Learn More About Katie below!

"Creating has always had a special place in my heart. I still vividly remember my elementary school art teacher—her bright red hair, calm voice, and the inviting scent of freshly poured paint that filled the air. Art day was always my favorite in elementary but sadly where I grew up art instruction didn’t continue past the 5th grade. Despite this, school was my sanctuary; I loved the thrill of seeing my teachers, connecting with friends, and discovering new things each year.

I moved through my schooling knowing the end goal was becoming a teacher myself. When I transferred to a four-year university, I faced a graduation requirement to choose a second major alongside education. I explored several options—biology intrigued me, English Language Arts felt like a natural fit with my love for books, and mathematics was logically satisfying. Yet, I found myself drawn to art more than anything else. The warm memories of my elementary art room flooded back, and teaching art sounded like a dream. So, I took the plunge and declared my major in Fine Arts Education, and the rest is history.

Throughout college, I was fortunate to learn from incredible professors. They were inspiring, supportive, and expanded my knowledge and love for the arts. The course that truly captured my heart was ceramics, which ironically turned out to be the toughest one. There were days when it brought me to tears as I struggled to master the medium. It brought me out of my comfort zone and challenged me creatively and in the end it turned out to be my greatest love. I particularly found joy in transforming clay into functional art. A memorable challenge from my college ceramics course that I now incorporate into my classroom was to design a vessel that could hold water but didn't look like a cup. It pushed me to think outside the box and sparked my creativity in unexpected ways. Years later, I love sharing this challenge with my students and seeing their imaginative solutions; their results never cease to fascinate me.

Currently, alongside being an art educator, I enjoy creating unique ceramic pieces for friends and family. I also enjoy exploring the world of watercolor. You won’t find a gift from me that doesn’t include a mini watercolor painting that goes along with it. I find it important to make time to be creative on my own terms. It fills my cup, sparks new lesson ideas, and is an outlet where I can give my mind a nice quiet space to process things.

Now, I am at my dream school, where I have a beautiful elementary art room, an engaging ceramics program, and an advanced art class for my 6th graders. Each year, I proudly showcase my students’ work in an art show that has become a beloved community event. The journey hasn't always been direct or easy, but it has led me to live out my passion for art and teaching, and for that, I am truly grateful."

By Katie Kirk