Description
‘Kindred Spirit’ by Katie Gamb
Artist: Katie Gamb
Title: ‘Kindred Spirit’
Medium: Oil on Wood
Dimensions: 5″ x 3″ x 1/2″
Framing: Unframed (Ready to Hang)
Year: 2019
Artwork Will Ship From: USA
About the Artwork:
“I painted this little piece after a character I’ve drawn somewhat frequently- a girl interacting with a snail, usually with it crawling on her head. I’ve always been drawn to unusual animals, and snails in particular. It’s an unusual creature to identify with, but as someone who has been told constantly that “we need to bring you out of your shell” I’ve grown to appreciate the slower, stranger animals in the world. Not everyone should be brought out of their shells. Some people (and gastropods) have them for a reason- they’re softer and squishier than others and need their layer of protection. If anything, wouldn’t you prefer to carry your safe space on your back, and travel the world without having to think about all you’ve left at home? To me, their shell is a mark of their resilience and ability to cope with the reality of their squish-ability while still living their lives.” – Katie Gamb
About the Artist:
(Artist Bio)
Katie Gamb is an illustrator living and painting in a small, cozy corner of Milwaukee, Wisconsin with her partner, Dave, and a horrible/wonderful cat, Edie Sedgewick.
Her love of narrative and the natural world informs her artwork, which is strongly influenced by the fairy tales she immersed herself in as a shy, bookish child, as well as the forests she wandered growing up in the rural Midwest. She particularly enjoyed studying tiny worlds that often went unnoticed, creating backstories and personalities for the creatures she came across.
Katie’s desire to tell stories led her to the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, where she earned a BFA in Illustration. Since graduating, her work has been shown in galleries around the U.S, and resides in children’s books and homes around the country. Her first illustrated book was published in Fall of 2016. Katie also sells work at craft fairs around the Midwest.
Although most of her time is spent drawing and painting, she still reads voraciously and wanders among the trees whenever she gets the chance.