Kate Pugsley is a painter, illustrator, and printmaker living in Chicago. Her training in art came from years of classes as a child, a formal education in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), and years of experimentation on her own. The result is a huge body of work that is instantly recognizable as “Kate Pugsley.” When asked what inspires her, Kate answered, “fresh paint, lakes, travel, family photos, lists, childhood, office supplies, coincidences, children’s books, nature and sea life, history, fiction”—all of which is evident in her work. All right, maybe not the office supplies.
JC—What’s your favorite medium to work with?
KP—I like ink and gouache for illustration, and oil paint when I’m working on personal pieces.
JC—That’s interesting—why oil paint only for your personal work?
KP—I have a love/hate feeling toward oil paint. I love the richness and amazing colors that can be achieved, but the fumes bother me and the slow drying time makes it impossible for illustration projects. Even though I like working in gouache, I still always wander back to oil paint, because it really is so lovely.
JC—Describe the first moment that you truly felt like an artist.
KP—I was writing an essay about Ethan Frome in high school. I remember feeling frustrated because I wasn’t a great writer, and I could have better expressed how much I liked the book through a drawing or a painting. Maybe I didn’t truly feel like an artist, but it was the first time that I felt like I should pursue art in college.
JC—What advice would you give your younger self about life as an artist? Pitfalls to avoid? Things to focus on or ignore?
KP—I’d tell myself to be more bold, and less cautious. When I was younger I was afraid of experimenting and used to get stuck a lot. I would also say, work harder to avoid isolating myself—to share more with other people. The joy of working has gotten more intense as I’ve gotten older, and my younger self would probably like to hear that too.
JC—What was the best bit of advice you ever got from a teacher at RISD?
KP—I can remember one of my professors telling me not to listen to comments or criticism from friends and family who don’t work in a related field. I like this advice.
JC—Which artist’s work/life/career are you most jealous of, and why?
KP—I admire Beatrix Potter’s life and career for many reasons, namely because she was a conservationist with an interest in science and nature, and because she was a strong woman who really made it happen for herself. I also think her books are timeless.
JC—How do you push yourself through creative blocks?
KP—I just have to keep working. It’s not the easiest thing to work when I’m feeling uninspired or want to give up, but working through it is the only way I know to actually get better.
JC—Have you ever given up on a painting?
KP—I’ve discarded many paintings entirely or covered them to start over. Sometimes I know it’s just not going to happen, no matter how many times I mush the paint around.
JC—Do your commissioned projects drain or fuel your personal work?
KP—The personal projects and commissioned projects work together to make each other better. The things that drain me are daily tasks around the house—but I can work all day and night if there are no interruptions!
JC—Do you ever equate your self-worth with your artistic successes?
KP—Of course. Maybe not “successes,” but it’s hard not to feel like the quality of the work I make reflects me as a person. I don’t think it’s really necessary (or possible?) to separate self-worth from artistic success. But it can certainly get you down when it just isn’t working. The best thing to do at that point is try to ignore the pressure from your family to get a “real” job.
JC—How do you handle criticism, if it comes your way?
KP—It’s never the easiest thing to hear, but I try to remember that it’s just the opinion of one person. Everyone has different opinions and preferences, which is usually a good thing.
JC—Is your inner critic around when you’re working?
KP—My inner critic is always around with something to say, and all of those things are true. Sometimes I can ignore it, sometimes I have to be talked down, and sometimes I can make it go away with careful concentration.
JC—Describe how it feels to be knee deep in a creative zone.
KP—It reminds me of receiving a fresh box of colored pencils and paper as a kid—feeling full of optimism!
I don’t think it’s really necessary (or possible?) to separate self-worth from artistic success.
