Today we’d like to introduce you to Katheryn Mcgaffigan
Katheryn, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started out as a fan of other artists — I wasn’t concerned with being an artist myself. BUT I was always creating something — writing, noodling on guitars and keyboards, drawing, painting… My younger years weren’t easy and I needed a serious catharsis. Other artists provided that release for me, but own early creations weren’t enough. I needed Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails to get me out of my head — not a guitar chord book for beginners.
My priority was finding other art that moved me, rather than developing my own. I devoured everything I could. If I liked a band, I’d research the record label, the producer, the bandmates’ former bands, all their influences… I did the same thing for novelists, filmmakers and visual artists. I worked at independent record stores and bookstores to be exposed to more. I listened to college radio non-stop. Eventually, I went to college in the arts (writing and acting) and began performing in bands and working in films. Even though I had creative input in those projects, they still belonged to another artist — they weren’t my own.
Then for years, life took its course. I had to get a day job outside of the arts for health and financial reasons. I had to say “no” to creative projects — there weren’t enough hours in the day. For years, I built my health, finances, social life, and my real independence. I “adulted”. I occasionally got involved in creative projects, but I called them “hobbies.” Unbeknownst to me, I was also building something else at that time: the autonomy, strength and confidence I needed to create my own art.
And then it happened: my time came. I hit a rough patch, I felt like I was boiling over with things I needed to say. I was losing sleep, anxious to speak out and be heard. I needed another artist who could articulate what I felt, but this time no other artist was saying what I needed to hear. I had to speak up myself.
That was last year. From there, I sort of free-fell into creating again. I wrote like hell. I did public readings of my new work. I wrote a script, memorized it, and put it on its feet; it turned into a one-woman show I performed Off-Broadway last Fall. I made music, too — music that I felt was finished and releasable. I FINALLY tapped into that drive to make and share my own art. If I can move myself to the point of sweating, singing or crying through my own art, like I used to do with old Nine Inch Nails music, then I know I’m onto something. And maybe, hopefully, I’ll be able to move someone else through my art, just as I’ve been moved by others’ art for so many years. (I do consider myself an artist now.)
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s never been a smooth road for me. I had to figure it out on my own. Whatever I learned in my childhood wasn’t very helpful outside the household. I’m still learning, but now that I’m older I have more tools at my disposal and more options to consider. For this, I’m very grateful. The Buddha said, “Without struggle, success has no value.” I truly value everything I’ve achieved because it wasn’t handed to me.
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?
I’m a storyteller. I tell stories through the written word, performance and music. I’m super proud of what I’m doing right now in the performing arts/theater world: I’m developing a new version of my one-woman show called Follower, which I wrote and performed Off-Broadway last Fall. It’s like Baby Reindeer meets Fleabag and now, in the new version, meets Fight Club too. Follower is a wild story of obsession and self-discovery; it’s about a female stalker who follows other people in a quest to discover herself. In this new version, she’s no longer the only stalker — she becomes a mentor to others who want to join in following. As a group, they follow a wide range of people, exploring different ways of living. The show examines and satirizes our society’s fixation on following, having followers, and being followed — something we all participate in to some degree nowadays. It also explores the extremes we may go to find ourselves.
I’m also very proud of what I’m doing in music right now; I’ll soon be releasing an EP of my solo songs, which features two ridiculously talented members from the legendary rock/goth band Swans. The EP is on its final mix now — it’s evolved into something more powerful and listenable than I ever could’ve imagined! It’s dark, angsty, and has really driven bass lines by the esteemed bassist Hannah Moorhead — a total genius. I’m so excited for this.
Also in music, I’m known for performing with the gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello as a dancer, percussionist and backup vocalist.
What sets me apart from others is the characters I choose to portray. I gravitate towards characters who almost — just almost — go too far. Or maybe they do, but they come back to tell the story. Getting lost is a part of the journey. Just as much as finding the way back to tell the story.
How do you think about happiness?
I believe happiness has two components: being present in the moment AND knowing which moment is right for you now. It’s a balance of awareness and discernment.
I’ve explored many meditation methods, and I always come back to mindfulness. Just sitting with whatever is happening. You might be in pain, hearing blaring sirens, or feeling restless with excitement — whatever the experience, you simply sit with it and observe without judgement. I’m also really into the psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s “flow” theory — that happiness comes from the state of consciousness he called “flow”, and flow can be found in different activities for different people. What matters isn’t how you get to the flow state, but that you get there. I try to seek flow in everything I do — I believe that being able to find flow, even when I’m not making art, has made me a much happier person.
The discernment part of happiness is about knowing which moment is right for you now. Is this the moment to sit quietly or to dance? To work or to rest? In this world of so many options and distractions, this is a huge challenge — it’s hard to know where to put your attention at any given moment. Sometimes an external obligation makes that decision for you, and that can be a relief — the decision is made. But often, you’re on your own with limitless distractions. You have to be really in tune with your needs and wants to know where to put your attention, before it gets hijacked. I go down major rabbit holes, so I need to be wise about where my attention goes (and to whom). If time is all we have, then attention is the next most precious thing. Use it wisely.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/katherynmcgaffigan
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/katherynmcgaffigan
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/katherynmcgaffigan/
- Twitter: https://x.com/ckath
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/katherynmcgaffigan
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/katherynmcgaffigan
- Other: https://imdb.com/name/nm2539076/
Image Credits
Rebekah Campbell
