★ MEET N‘ GREET ★
katy Horan

Jess Wheaton interviews Katy Horan

Firstly, how did you arrive where you find yourself now, in terms of being an artist and leading the life that you lead?

I started off wanting to illustrate children's books. I studied Illustration in school, but I the more narrative contemporary art that was starting to happen then began to really influence my work. I left school and started sending my portfolio to publishers, but everyone said that my style was too "edgy". When a couple galleries showed interest, I just ran with it. Since then, I have been telling my stories through individual paintings and drawings rather than a more sequential form. I do hope to make some books soon, maybe not for kids, but in some version of a story book.

My life life is pretty normal these days. I get up early, go to sleep early. I like to cook, walk the dog, watch tv. I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself and burn out quick, so i decided to seek more balance between work and life. It's working out pretty well. I really couldn't keep up that whole, "my work is way more important than sleep" thing, so I just decided to go for the stability rather than the intensity.

In your work you portray "lost folk art from an imaginary world." Is there any crucial back story you'd like to share about your particular interest in lace, cat's cradles, horned women, the color brown, etc?

I think it's all part of my own escapism. I live in a really urban place with lots of concrete and metal, so I started using imagery that felt more natural and homey. I wanted to tap into a sort of "county life" that was all about living simply and amongst nature, but with a little magic thrown in. I did this as a way to soothe myself and relieve my big city stress.

The lace imagery represents domestic arts and femininity as does the quilting and knitting. I find something really beautiful about old fashioned "women's work". It was a way for women to express themselves and make their homes special while they were not allowed to do much else. Plus it's a joy to paint the tiny lace details...sort of like meditation.

The idea for the horned women came from an Irish folktale about a group of witches with horns that invade a poor woman's home it's also a way to show that these characters are directly connected to the natural world. A lot of my imagery comes from folklore. I think it's just another way to engage in something old timey and humble.

I wonder how your content arrives in you. How do you begin a painting and what is your process? Also, I notice that many of your works are arranged much like wallpaper or a quilt, with a series of vignettes tied together by a sea of dashed marks. How did this configuration come about and what does it suggest?

I always have a number of images floating around in my head. I'll make some sketches or write lists of the imagery and titles. When I start a new painting I usually just go with whichever image has been the most persistent in my mind. I like to work on several things at once, so I'll try to get a few started and then see which ones take off and which don't.

I started laying my compositions out like patterns or wallpaper when I was looking for a way to make my work more interesting. I would look at folk paintings or old medieval art and notice how there were several focal points rather than just one. I really liked getting drawn into those images and exploring all the different details and narratives. I really wanted viewers to have the same experience when looking at my work. I didn't really intend for the paintings to look like quilts themselves, but I am very happy that that is how it turned out...It helps with that whole crafty vibe that I am going for.

I read on your site that you've moved around quite a bit. What have been the benefits and drawbacks of quasi-transience for you? Where do you currently live, and what's that like? What's your favorite thing about your city? Do you think you'll stay?

I can be pretty restless. When I was younger, all I could see was the possibilities of different places. I have a pretty active imagination and sometimes I get swept up in the idea of a place. That is troublesome because reality never matches my idealisms, but having moved around I've gotten to experience some great places and meet a lot of different people. In the end, I am very happy to have had these different experiences, but now I am ready to find a place to chill out for a longer amount of time.

Right now I live in New York City. I have lived here the longest, over 5 years. My favorite thing about my city is my neighborhood in Brooklyn. It's called Carroll Gardens. It's a mix of old and new school and it's really pretty with lot's of trees and brownstones. Like I said before, I am ready to find a place to do a little settling, so I am moving to Austin, Tx next year. I am from Houston, so it will be nice to be near family, plus it's a beautiful, natural place that's laid back and pretty cheap (compared to NY!). I am really excited about it!

What's the source of your drive to keep making work? And what do you feel is your main source of knowledge? Who/what contributes to your creative reserves the most? What are you most excited about?

The opportunity to bring my ideas to life is the main drive. I think that as long as the images keep popping up in my head, I'll keep making art. I get a lot of inspiration from the world around me and I think that channeling these everyday influences helps me appreciate the little things more. I like to seek knowledge and inspiration from a lot of places...radio shows, movies, books even tv shows. I love stories of all kinds and I tend to get moved pretty easily. I'll cry through the dumbest movie or tv show, I really can't help myself, i get swept up in the emotion of those things pretty easily!

As cheesy as it may sound, my boyfriend Daniel is my main support. He has a great imagination and likes a lot of the same books and movies, so we geek out a lot and bounce around ideas.

Right now, I am most excited about moving to Texas where I am hoping to find some good work space and get involved with the art community down there. I am really excited to hopefully live in a house with a backyard and be surrounded by hills and lakes.

And lastly, what are your thoughts and feelings on the contemporary art world? How has it been for you, and, in a perfect world, how would you like it to be?

I have mixed feelings for sure. Living in NY, I have seen the negative side of the art world. Sometimes it seems to be all about money and image and that everyone is just vying to be the next hot art star. It doesn't always appear to be about the honesty of the work. On the other side, it is so amazing to see all this new stuff cropping up around the country and world that is all about narrative, personal style and voice. I really think that all this underground / neo-folk / alternative / lo-brow art (I never know what to call it!) is the most honest work out there because it's all about the artist as an individual rather than fitting oneself into a prescribed idea of what art is supposed to be about. I am really excited to see where this new breed of art goes.

Thank you Katy for being part of Little Paper Press with your limited edition print.