We’ve got big ideas here at Light Grey Art Lab! Although this year comes with a million challenges, we are looking forward to a day where we can have an art show, travel, connect, and learn together safely!
First, we want to thank all of you that have contributed, collaborated, exhibited, traveled with us, or even showed up at a gallery event! This last month, we celebrated our 9 year anniversary — almost a decade of creative projects and lots of great people showing up to get involved. Thanks for being around for the ride and we are looking forward to many more future events when it’s possible!
Over the years, we have had the opportunity to work with great team members and interns, and it is always a pleasure to include new voices and opinions in the conversation. Okay, and now for the big news — we are here to welcome Kait Bartlett!
Last spring, Kait was our gallery intern, working on Senior Show and the World Roulette Kickstarter Campaign. Kait graduated from MCAD in spring 2020 (what a time!) and we are happy to bring her on for community-based projects. Kait will be assisting with the physical art gallery, hanging shows, community classes, and showcasing artwork online.
To welcome Kait, we’ve made a mini interview below — we hope you enjoy and say hello sometime!
Kait, can you tell us a little about your creative background
I grew up in Blaine, Minnesota, and I’ve been living in Minneapolis since I started school at MCAD. I graduated in spring 2020 with a degree in illustration! In school, I first focused on drawing and painting, but later shifted to illustration when I realized how much my favorite media influences my style and what I wanted to make art for. Outside of my creative practice I love playing video games— my current faves are Paradise Killer, Sayonara Wild Hearts, and Hades. Listening to music, though, is my number one pastime. I could go on forever about album art, design, and packaging, and the inseparable relationship between music and visual art. I also have an ever-growing collection of Kirby merchandise.
What are you looking forward to the most?
I’m looking forward to contributing my ideas for projects, working with an immense amount of super rad artists.
What is your personality type, identifiers, zodiac?
I’m an INTP and a Virgo! I’d like to think I could be chaotic good but my alignment is really more lawful good. The characters I’m most like would be Sailor Mercury, Zelda, and Neo from the Matrix.
What would be on your personal mixtape?
1. Reptilia by the Strokes
2. Computer Blue by Prince
3. Francis Forever by Mitski
4. Shining Star by David Bowie
5. GfC by Albert Hammond Jr.
This was the hardest question for me!
What is the biggest lesson you learned this year?
I learned (and am still learning) how to recognize and name what’s causing me stress or anxiety! It’s kind of a big deal. When I can’t realize what’s causing those feelings it’s harder to address them, but when I do know it’s a lot easier to figure out how I can resolve them.
What is your favorite quote or mantra?
I watched Cowboy Bebop for the first time last summer and really latched onto both Spike’s motto “Whatever happens, happens”, and the ending card that says “You’re gonna carry that weight”. The first is self-explanatory, but I think the second really emphasizes that who you are is everything you’ve experienced and you’ll continue to carry that with you your whole life, whether it’s good or bad.
Next time you stop in the gallery, say hello to Kait!