Craft Shows. Design Markets. Arts Festivals. Handmade Events. Whatever you want to call them, we've been in a lot over the past year and a half. And it seems like at the majority of them, kg + ab will be there, too. Their smooth white porcelain sculptures calmly stand out in the overwhelming sea of mixed up colors and textures of these events. Katherine Grandey, the mastermind behind kg +ab, was kind enough to answer a few little questions for me:
1) How did you get into ceramics?
I studied ceramics in Undergrad and Grad School & was always making work and showing, but officially started kg + ab after my daughter was born and I quit my full time job to care for her. Ha. I thought I could raise a child and make tons of work, no problem. It’s quite a balancing act, and I don’t get a lot of sleep.
2) What is inspiring you these days?
Trips out of Brooklyn to look for ceramic molds. We take small trips in search of old molds (most of my current work is cast from vintage molds from the 60s to the 80s). We scour thrift stores along the way. I love to check out new places and dig for treasure. I also love to get the heck out of the city and somewhere slower and simpler, and sometimes more beautiful. But then I always appreciate coming home.
3) What have you been working on recently?
I am working on a series of decals for diner plates. We are calling it the ”nerds” series and have four different images with a banner that says “nerds”. So why nerds? Well, to be honest from the movie “Revenge of the Nerds” - we were flipping channels one night and the movie was on, and there is a scene where the “cool” jock fraternity is playing a prank on the “nerds”, so they lit the word nerds on fire outside their house. It was this gorgeous metal sculpture and I freaked out about how beautiful it was and so not appreciated for this stupid movie and this 30 second scene. So I decided the next thing I was doing would have the word “nerds” in it. I guess I should have put this in the inspiration part, huh? But it’s kind of embarrassing to admit you are inspired by “Revenge of the Nerds”.
4) Is there anything else we should know about you?
I’m 35 and I guess, a nerd.
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Thanks Katherine!
Now I know what to put in my Netflix queue :)
I also have to mention that I am completely inspired by the way she is able to continue making and selling her art after having a child. Every time I see her at a show with her little girl in tow, I think about the whole "having a family while also running a creative business" thing. I know it must be very difficult, but she gives me hope that it can be done! (It would be nice to be able to stock up on sleep ahead of time somehow, though.)
Visit kg + ab on Etsy.
A few of the shops Ikumi and I perused last weekend: Frosty Darling (handmade goods), Kayo Gallery, the Green Ant (vintage furniture), Signed and Numbered (Leia Bell's poster gallery), Deseret Industries (thrift store), and Slowtrain (music). Among our purchases: a set of pink melamine dishes, a Sasson dress, a spider plant, and David Bazan's new album.
