Meet Trailblazer Kaitlyn Tucek

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaitlyn Tucek.

Kaitlyn, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was very lucky and was mentored by a professional illustrator, Jeffrey K. Fisher, starting in middle school. He would volunteer at our middle and high school and offered figure drawing and locational drawing classes outside of school. I started figure drawing at the age of fourteen and it remains one of my core practices in my studio. I went to Pratt Institute for Illustration (which maybe, in hindsight, wasn’t the best choice of major) but it has influenced my work in a very significant way, leading me to focus on storytelling and advocating. I’ve also worked in education, with a masters in art education and a NY state teacher certification, I taught elementary school art for three years and worked in many major art institutions as an educator.

Has it been a smooth road?
Be sincere and tenacious. Find those who support you, stick with them. Keep proving yourself and keep finding those who support you, at every level. These things will help you remain true to yourself and your work and will not only help you rise to your potential but also help those who have helped you.

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
Well, in pure fine art terms, I am what you call a multi-disciplinary artist. But, I feel like in 2019, so are most artists. Why would we limit ourselves, when we have access to so much and so does our audience? I do, however, consider myself an advocate and a storyteller. Most of my works live in a world where I hope to communicate something for what I hope is for the betterment of the world. I think some people consider me a feminist and some people consider me an abstract painter and some even call me a figurative painter. I say okay to all of that. I hope to span even more genre’s in the coming years, using more mediums to express myself. I think that sets me apart. I won’t settle, I want to progress and improve and I think makes me less palatable and mainstream which can be hard, but in the end, it makes my work stand out.

Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
Well, beyond those things, the Denver Public Library is one of my best friends. They have a program where librarians will help you with research, responding to your very jumbled interests with a brilliantly curated list of books you might enjoy and benefit from. This is the greatest asset to my research progress. As far as podcasts, I think I am more interested in topics than subscriptions and so I wander from Radiolab to The Great Women Artists to The Art Newspaper to Hyperallergic (well I guess I don’t wander too far…). All that being said, I am really into Dolly Parton’s America right now.

The best work comes from dialogue and conversation within my community. The community that surrounds you and helps you and feeds your inspirations and connects dots, that is the most valuable of resources. Denver has a sensational community of artists that I am proud to be a part of. Beyond Denver, Instagram relationships are also great. I have one on one conversations about visual elements with individuals from Scotland to Los Angeles to San Antonio. The way we find each other is pretty damn cool.

Contact Info:

• Website: KaitlynTucek.com
• Email: Kaitlyn.tucek@gmail.com
• Instagram: KTUCEK

Image Credit:
Amanda Tipton, Alexa Davis, Sara Ford, Matt Tripodi

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