Today we’d like to introduce you to Kirstyn Hom.
Kirstyn, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
As a child, I loved to spend my time drawing, crafting, collaging, writing, and reading. Both of my parents did not practice fine arts, but were makers in their own way. My mom crocheted blankets and sewed my Halloween costumes, and my dad repaired cars as a mechanic. They taught me the value of making things with my hands, and the tactile experience.
I grew up in San Francisco, and would hop on buses with my sketchbook to draw upon such a culturally diverse city. The city became a playground for me to explore performative acts and social experiments. I would give balloons with written messages to strangers, and dress up in costumes at Golden Gate Park with friends. I saw so many unique forms of expression in the city that I felt comfortable questioning what was considered “normal” early on.
I went to UC Berkeley with little intention in pursuing art for my Bachelor’s degree. All I knew was painting and drawing, and the two dimensional plane of a canvas felt suffocating. When I took my first sculpture class, I became inspired again. I was making sculptures out of tape, dresses out of wood, and 12 foot structures to stand in. I loved the potential of transforming everyday materials, and seeing how they lived in different spaces, or even moved on bodies.
A pivotal moment in my art practice was when I studied abroad for a semester in England. I became aware of my identity as an Asian-American woman after experiencing racism and sexism on a daily basis. I used my art as a way to process these traumatic memories, and reclaim my identity. I continue strive to make work that has a social justice impact.
I currently spend my time teaching art to kids and teens. I’ve also been collaborating at a print shop and gallery called Open Windows Cooperative, to bridge art with the surrounding community. After living in the Bay Area all of my life, I will be leaving soon to pursue a MFA in Visual Arts at UC San Diego.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
A lot of my work is made out of materials in state of change. This could be ice that dissolves, a piece of lint that has formed in a dryer, or a textile made to unravel. I’m exploring ways that art can be about actions. In a few performances, I break out of these materials, or shed them with my body. I’ve also created interactive sculptures for people to pull apart. The fun part is seeing how these pieces will change based on factors that I can’t control, such as people’s reactions or elements in the surrounding environments.
My work is also in response to the changes I’ve been seeing in San Francisco. I became isolated from the city after watching communities displaced, old businesses fade away, and the rise of tech industry. So, I turned to my art to find generative ways to deal with the loss and connect with others.
My current collaboration with Open Windows Cooperative, features a traveling loom in the nearby Bayview Neighborhood. For the past few months, we’ve been wheeling the loom to invite passerby to weave strips of donated fabric together. The project has been a great way to start conversations, and get to know people who have a long history with the neighborhood. It’s the kind faces and fleeting exchanges that make up the woven tapestry.
There are a lot of negative associations with loss, but the reality of something passing makes me present. When I’m waiting at a bus stop, and knowing that the person across the street will vanish creates a special moment. Similarly, I hope to give people the richness of memory. I’m not interested in creating precious objects, but rather making art around the shared experience between people.
How can artists connect with other artists?
I think a lot of people have the desire to be creative and connect, but don’t necessarily identify with the label “artist.” My advice is to reach out to a friend, family member, someone you just met, and offer a creative idea to spend time together. This could be going on a walk and taking photographs, finding a magazine to cut up together, or find a new spot in your city to leave something to be discovered. Do something together with very little expectations on how it will turn out. Who knows, you can begin to spark a creative streak in someone else.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Most of my work can be found on my website or Instagram. I update with information about shows so that people can see my work in-person. I hope to create more interactive art in public spaces, so people can support by coming by to participate and collaborate.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kirstynhom.com
- Email: kirstyn.hom@gmail.com
- Instagram: k.homhom
Image Credit:
Leah Nichols
Ava Sayaka Rosen
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