January 8, 2014

In 2001 Kathyanne White was named a “trendsetter” in Art Business News and since then she has continue to push the envelope with her digital alternative surfaces.

Her work has been exhibited in Museum of Arts and Design, NY, the Museum of American Folk Art, NY, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art in IN, the Snyderman Gallery, PA, and the National Museum of History in China, to name just a few of the many.

Kathyanne has taught workshops for us a few times and we have always been impressed by the contagious enthusiasm she freely shines on everyone, along with a passion for her art and her love of sharing her ideas and techniques. She is an unending fount of ideas! Kathyanne will be teaching a 5-day/6-night workshop for us this year, April 27 – May 3, 2014.

Digital Printing Alternative Surfaces: THE DEFINITIVE SOURCE is Kathyanne’s most recently publish book. It contains 152 pages of information and over 260 photographs describing her work process.

Kathyanne’s websites, blogs, and YouTube Channel has such a wealth of information, tips, and resources that you can get lost in them for days.

Kathyanne Art website
Digital Alternative Surfaces website and blog
Kathanne Art blog
Kathyanne White YouTube Channel

Here are Kathyanne’s answers to our interview questions:

How long have you been teaching and what got you started teaching?

I’ve been teaching for over 30 years. I was creating quilt coats and jackets and started teaching the techniques out of my home. Some women wanted to learn how to make wearables and I was happy to share my ideas.

What is your favorite part about teaching?

I love it when students are excited and they find something that inspires them during a workshop. Workshops for me are about the process and not the finished product. I love to teach techniques and ways for the students to expand their own work. It’s wonderful to see what they come up with that suits them.

What would you tell your prospective students are three best reasons for taking a workshop?

Have fun while learning and participating – enjoy yourself. Play with the process and material being presented and be creative—not worrying about the results so you can take risks. To learn a process that can be used in their own way with their own work—once they get back to their own surroundings.

What are you currently working on in your own art?

I am currently obsessed with digital printing metals and refiguring the prints into 3D assemblages. I am using fiber techniques with the metals—for example I am crocheting pieces together with wire. Also knitting metal on my knitting machine for different layers in some of the pieces. My pieces are then hung in unique ways for display.

Where is your art currently being exhibited?

Currently my work is exhibited in invitational shows or on my site – Digital Alternative Surfaces

Is your work represented in galleries?

I am not currently showing in galleries but working with private art consultants. Since I just started on a new body of work with my metals it will probably be a few more month before I am actively selling my current work.

What is your favorite art quote?

“To draw you must close your eyes and sing” – Pablo Picasso

Describe your studio.

My studio is 1200 square feet. It consists of two rooms plus a wet work area containing a washer and dryer and a large stainless photographers sink. My digital studio is outfitted with the following:

• Two Apple computers
• Two Wacom HD Cintiqs
• An Apple 31″ cinema screen
• Epson 7890 printer
• Epson R3000 printer
• Epson Workforce 1100 printer
• Epson 430 printer
• Epson R2000 printer
• Bookshelves – filing cabinets-

The other of the two rooms contains the following:

• Four—4 x 8 foot tables covered with table size cutting mats.
• A 40″ x 72″ table with cutting mat top
• Bernina industrial sewing machine, modified with 21″ throat clearance.
• Janome felting machine
• Elna sewing machine
• Bernina computer sewing machine
• All sorts of art supplies and tools
• Futon—papason chair
• Cutting boards covering all my table.
• Bernina Ironing system
• Over 2000 beverage cans for printing
• Random chairs and stools
• Large desk
• Heat press

The large room is surrounded by windows with a 2 entries from outside. One opens to a patio under a deck. Concrete floors through out the studio

Name five of your “can’t do without” tools/products

• InkAid precoats
• Epson 7890 printer
• Recycled beverage cans
• Computer
• Wacom HD Cintiq

Here are a couple more pieces of Kathyanne’s recent work.

The Falls Recycled 23″ x 24″ digital print on beverage cans in 4 layers—stacked with beads—bottom layer is loom knitted silver parawire

Forest Surfaces 21 22″ x 19″ x 5″ beverage cans crocheted on brass wire, metal mesh 3d base on metal frame

More Recent Artist Instructor Interviews:

Joe Weatherly – Animal Drawing and Oil Painting

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Besides the new feature of interviews with our artist instructors on this blog, we are also interested in highlighting the artists who attend the workshops. If you’ve attended a workshop of ours in the past and would like to be featured, including links to your website and blog, drop us a line, we’d love to hear from you!