Kat Reeder is an artist that lives in Honolulu and her artwork makes me want to get on a plane right now and head to Hawaii! Kat is a digital artist, but her work looks like it’s from the 60’s and 70’s. I could totally see Kat’s “vintage-inspired tropical glamour girls” hanging on the walls of a travel agency or in the pages of a magazine. Tiki is escapism, but it can also be a time machine. Kat’s work will take you back to a simpler time. Here is her story …
How is it living in Honolulu, have you always lived there?
Kat- Living in Honolulu is a dream come true. We moved here from the mainland in 2009. As it is living in any island destination, we deal with a high cost of living and the challenges of being so far away from the mainland. But it’s also a tight-knit community where artists welcome and support each other. The culture of Aloha is a real thing that runs through daily life here. Even beyond just the natural beauty of the place, Hawaii can be a very healing place to live.
Can you give a little history of how you became an artist?
Kat- Growing up as a child in Peru, and then a teenager in Miami, I was surrounded by all kinds of art, music, and folklore, which filled me with a constant stream of artistic inspiration. In high school, I became aware of illustration as a career. I wasn’t sure how I would do it, as art school wasn’t in my family’s budget. My original dream was to be a Disney character designer. I taught myself the basics of anatomy, and how to illustrate emotion and mood. I collected all of the illustrated ephemera I could get my hands on. One day I inherited a friend’s discarded 1991 laptop with an early version of MS paint. I started making digital illustrations pixel by pixel. I had discovered a whole new artistic medium that was still pretty new. It led me to study graphic design and advertising in college. In 2009, my husband encouraged me to approach a small local Honolulu art gallery. We were new to Hawaii and I felt eager to contribute to the art scene. That first show generated a lot of interest and led to my first commercial illustration for the Van’s Women’s Triple Crown of Surfing. Other gallery and collaboration requests followed, which allowed me to leave my day job as a graphic designer and concentrate full-time on being an artist. Doing so has allowed me to have so many amazing experiences I could have never imagined. I’m excited to take my next steps toward new artistic adventures.
How would you describe your style?
Kat- I create vintage-inspired tropical glamour girls. Although my art is digital, I try to push the limits of the digital medium, creating lush layers and textures on the screen that mimic natural fibers and colors. My work has a lot of subtle nods to the great pinup and portrait artists of the past, and much like me, it draws a lot of its inspiration from both Latin American and Polynesian imagery.
Who or what would be some of your influences?
Kat- My list of influences is wide ranging. Alphonse Mucha, Frida Kahlo, Glen Keane, Coby Whitmore, and Alberto Vargas are a few of my favorites. I’m drawn to artists whose commercial works spoke to the masses via magazines, posters, and other now-collectible packaging. I’ve also always loved art that highlights the sensual beauty of women, including vintage Mexican calendars and all sorts of Polynesian pop.
What does the future hold for you?
Kat- I want to become a fixture in the tiki art scene. Through my new custom portraits, I’m looking forward to meeting all of the fabulous wahine out there in the Tiki community, and getting involved as well. I showed my work a few years ago at The Hukilau in Ft. Lauderdale, and it was a blast. I’m hoping to participate in Tiki Oasis next year, and as many other similar events as I can. I’m ready to rack up those frequent flier miles!
Anything else you would like to add?
Kat- I would love to become an ambassador for the tiki culture here in Hawaii. Although there’s a vibrant tiki community on the mainland, things still aren’t quite so organized in our little island paradise. Although it might be somewhat misunderstood here, the tiki movement is ultimately about good times, escapism, and a love of beautiful things from the past. I think there will always be a need for that, no matter where you live.
Here is Kat Reeder’s website
And Facebook Page
Beautiful!