Artist Spotlight :: Kylie Fowler

Welcome! Every Tuesday and Thursday Tonia Jenny, the 21 SECRETS Creative Director & Course Manager, interviews one of the talented teachers in our 21 SECRETS program for an Artist Spotlight.

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Hello Creative Being! 

Kylie Fowler‘s 21 SECRETS Face Time lesson, The Colors Within, explores the creation of a very colorful background that then actually becomes the colors inside of your portrait and to me, this is a cool way to see what’s going on inside your own self. As she says below, Kylie’s art journals often convey personal issues she needs to get out of her system and I could see her lesson’s process as one great way to do that.

How have your creative pursuits morphed or changed over the years? 

My artwork has certainly morphed over the years, however there have been some consistencies throughout my journey—faces in particular. As an artist, I feel my work is constantly changing as I grow. I often move back and forth between the various ways I create, continually striving to find the perfect way to incorporate all the things I love about realistic portraits with all that I love about whimsical faces. Hopefully one day, I will find that sweet spot.

How are the things you value most in life reflected in what you create?

All of my art-journal work is a reflection of me and/or my outward world. It is generally not a literal translation, but painted in a way that the viewer can decide for themselves what they think is happening.

Is there a “secret message” you often want your work to convey? 

There is always, well mostly, a secret message or point of view in my artwork. My art journals are just like regular journals/diaries, except what I want to convey or get out of my system is painted as apposed to written. Occasionally, I will add text to my work, to give more of a hint about the story, but not too much, as much of my work is still personal.

What is the one thing you hope we remember from your workshop? 

If there is only one thing that you take away from my workshop, I hope it would be to experiment often, without worrying about the outcome. Experiment and play with your tools, techniques, color, mediums, etc.

What is your life mantra?

Your uniqueness is your magic.

So with that, let’s get our our art tools and each explore the ways we are all unique!

About Kylie

I am a mixed-media portrait artist, currently based in the coastal town of Warrnambool, Australia, who loves to help others find their creative spark. Beautiful female faces are the main feature in my work and I love to create soulful eyes that capture your attention. Mostly I love to create artwork that makes you smile.

My aim is to show you how easy it is to draw, by encouraging you to play (like we did as children), to make a mess, to embrace mistakes and work through them. It is through our mistakes that we learn; it is through not giving up that we achieve and build confidence; and it’s through this confidence that we enter The Blissful Zone, otherwise none as “The happy place.

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Kylie teaches The Colors Within

After we briefly explore color-theory basics, we’ll create playful painted backgrounds and then I’ll share my process for creating fun mixed media self-portraits.