KC Christmas is a contemporary painter and collage artist living and working in South Carolina. Known for her portraits, food art, and floral art, she combines the styles of the Old Masters with relevant topics. Her collages merge art history with fanciful food, symbolism, and nature. She uses her art to explore a range of topics - from deep, personal struggles to our obsession with dessert and social media. Since 2015, KC has actively pursued her art and have won awards for her work including First Place and Merit Awards. Many of her pieces have shown across the world and belong in numerous private collections across the country. KC currently works from her home studio as both an artist and illustrator.
Published on February 12th, 2020. Artist responses collected in months previous.
What projects are you working on right now?
At this moment, I am working on pieces I have dubbed as "collage paintings." They are mixed media projects incorporating graphite, acrylic paint, paper, and matte board. Through these works, I am working through the ideas of memory, beauty, and working through times of personal struggles.
How do you keep yourself accountable in your practice?
I have a few art friends who constantly cheer me on to continue my work. Also, Instagram can play a huge role since I post mainly my artwork. I like to post rather consistently, so if I don't have anything completed or a work in progress, I can't post.
How do you stay motivated to pursue your creative work?
I find my other interests help inspire and motivate my creative work. I take time to read, listen to music, or research into a new idea. I'm also pursuing a Masters of Art History right now. My studies inspire me to look at other artists that have gone before me and learn from them. Through each class I have taken, I take little nuggets of information and apply it somewhere in my art practice.
Where do you hope to be 10 years from now and what would you like to say to yourself?
Oh there are many things I would want to accomplish in ten years: working full-time as an artist, have a solo show, exhibited in NYC, teaching art on the side, and so much more. However, I know those things don't happen over night. So what I would tell myself is to keep making steps towards these goals. Even little ones over a period of time result in great strides.
What projects are you working on right now?
At this moment, I am working on pieces I have dubbed as "collage paintings." They are mixed media projects incorporating graphite, acrylic paint, paper, and matte board. Through these works, I am working through the ideas of memory, beauty, and working through times of personal struggles.
How do you keep yourself accountable in your practice?
I have a few art friends who constantly cheer me on to continue my work. Also, Instagram can play a huge role since I post mainly my artwork. I like to post rather consistently, so if I don't have anything completed or a work in progress, I can't post.
How do you stay motivated to pursue your creative work?
I find my other interests help inspire and motivate my creative work. I take time to read, listen to music, or research into a new idea. I'm also pursuing a Masters of Art History right now. My studies inspire me to look at other artists that have gone before me and learn from them. Through each class I have taken, I take little nuggets of information and apply it somewhere in my art practice.
Where do you hope to be 10 years from now and what would you like to say to yourself?
Oh there are many things I would want to accomplish in ten years: working full-time as an artist, have a solo show, exhibited in NYC, teaching art on the side, and so much more. However, I know those things don't happen over night. So what I would tell myself is to keep making steps towards these goals. Even little ones over a period of time result in great strides.
Find KC Christmas on Instagram