Life & Work with Kristen Margiotta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristen Margiotta.

Hi Kristen, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Right after graduating college in 2005, I was participating at in-person art events where I would sell everything from originals, prints, merch and more, and I started showing at galleries at well. At the time, I was painting very differently than I am now, with my signature “big eyed” series that overlapped into the book illustration world and the fine art gallery world. I was also hand screen printing t-shirts, modifying them as well, sewing handbags featuring my artwork, and selling other merch items like buttons and prints. Even when I was in school, I had this mindset that I wanted my art accessible to all people, and to this day, I still offer affordable alternatives to my fine art framed paintings.

Around 2007, a book illustration project fell in my lap with Raw Dog Screaming Press, and eventually, that children’s book, Better Haunted Homes and Gardens, led to Penguin Random House contacting me to illustrate the Gustav Gloom chapter book series (six books), a long project that spanned about five years. The project was extra exciting for the publisher because I painted all illustrations from that series (over 125 illustrations) in oil paint. At the time, digital art was taking over, and many illustrators were creating their illustrations this way. So I appreciated that Penguin saw value not only in my work as an illustrator but also as an oil painter.

Alongside showing and exhibiting, I was also teaching art after graduation at local organizations and a local college for many years, and to this day, I continue to teach privately from my home studio a few days a week.

Around 2013 or ‘14, I had the opportunity to study with Michael Hussar and did so for many years following. Around this time, I got back to my roots of painting realistically, went through a personal transformation/awakening, and what you see of my work today is a result of those years of painting while going through some intense personal changes… It’s interesting for me comparing my old work to my new work, and even how I was painting in college, and there is definite overlap, despite the very different subject matter. But I think as artists, part of our job is to speak the truth be authentic, and with that comes change which often is purged through our artwork for all to see.

Right now, I still exhibit in galleries like Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco and WOWxWOW online gallery, sell at in-person events such as the traveling World Oddities Expo, various tattoo conventions and more. I’m focussing more on commissioned paintings and painting in general, and on occasion do illustration work for bands like Hold Down the Ocean when requested. I’m always open to new projects and opportunities.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Life is never smooth. It’s bumpy and messy. Think of a heart monitor at a hospital. The heart is beating to create those little peaks, signifying life. Flatline is death. Being an artist is a funny thing. Income is not steady; it’s feast and famine. Teaching has provided a steady income over the years, which allowed me plenty of breathing room for my art. When Covid hit, both my teaching and artwork was disrupted tremendously, but I’m still here.

Then there’s the personal aspect of the journey. You’re trying to get really good at what you do as an artist, figuring out all the reasons why you create and why we gravitate towards this path. Much of your time is spent in isolation, and still then, we have to take the risk to share it all with the world.

Finding a community of like-minded people and also figuring out where you fit, where to show, and what events to sell at. There’s no road map, and the journey is different for everyone.

But I’ve always just hustled, and when something piqued my interest, I went for it, and another door would open.

I’m still figuring it all out. Especially with my painting style changing after 15 years of steadily selling work in a completely different style. It’s kinda like starting over in the middle of your life. So I am still trying to see where I fit. My work is light and bright but also has a dark flare. Meaning I’m not painting sunshine and daffodils; there are some heavy themes being explored. It’s not a dark art, though some of my older work snuck into that category. My work is emotive and deep and requires some introspection on the part of the viewer, which may not be for everyone. Finding collectors, the people who do resonate with my art is probably the biggest challenge right now.

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I’m known for my oil paintings, both my older work featuring my big-eyed characters and ominous protagonists, and in recent years, my narrative oil paintings doused in crimson red, featuring my signature pearl tears, fire, lilies, and brushstrokes ( which people often tell me appear edible.) Red is definitely a staple of my paint palette, which has always been but is more of the dominant force now. I love painting portraits, especially from life, using the “alla prima” direct painting method, where you complete the painting in one session.

Recently, I began offering small mixed-media graphite drawings with gold leaf in hand-embellished or hand-painted frames. This has allowed me to offer original art at a smaller scale and affordable prices. People are loving these. It also gives me the opportunity to work with mixed media, gold leaf-which I love, and personalizing the frames. I don’t build my own frames, though that is a desire of mine (maybe one day!)-so for now, painting, distressing, and gilding frames allows me some way to satisfy that desire.

Another thing I’m known for is how I frame my artwork. I should mention that it’s incredibly important to me that every aspect of my art process is done by me and outsourced as minimal as possible. So I prime my own paint surfaces, as well as varnish my paintings and frame them as well. The back of my frames is something I am known for. After I secure the artwork in the frame, I cover the back of the frame with black paper, black corner bumpers, hardware, and add my signature wax seal as well as sign the back of the frame. I don’t know anyone else doing it. The unseen as important as the seen and I take as much care to present the back of the artwork as I do in creating the artwork itself. I am always thrilled to hear from collectors when they receive my artwork and how excited they are about the framing and the packaging, and the handwritten thank you cards.

I’m the result of an amalgamation of various areas and practices from the commercial illustration work, fine art gallery work, my role as an educator, combined with a love of bookbinding, stationary, etc… I do my own design work as well, and recently a collector informed me how impressed he was with my website, as he’s in that world professionally-that was a good feeling, as I designed and maintain my website as well. The details matter for me in everything I do.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
They can visit my website to learn more about me and what I offer as an artist. They can also email me with any direct inquiries for commissions and painting purchases. I’m always open to new opportunities, commissioned work, working with bands, etc…

My SHOP is also available directly on my website, where people can buy everything from original paintings and drawings, prints, books, merch and more. I have some paintings available on Modern Eden Gallery’s website as well.

Follow me on Social Media:
I’m on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube!-all free! Please engage and share content with your friends.

I recently decided to take my YouTube a bit more seriously, so I’m slowly adding process videos, including full-length time-lapse videos, available now.

Buying art and sharing with your friends is the most important thing, and it’s greatly appreciated! I can’t keep going without the support of the people, which I’m so fortunate to have for almost 20 years of doing this professionally.

Pricing:

• Prints: 20+
• Limited Edition Prints: $50+
• Original Framed Drawings $120-$250
• Original Paintings (vary) $800-4k
• Small merch items: $5-$8

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kristenmargiotta.com
• Instagram: Kristen_margiotta
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KristenMargiottaArtAndIllustration/
• Twitter: Kristen_margiotta
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@kristenmargiotta
• Other: https://www.moderneden.com/collections/vendors?q=Kristen%20Margiotta