Kai Kathleen
Kai Kathleen is a Guildford-based queer artist who runs a monthly Queer Life Drawing event at New House Art Space, for all levels and abilities. Holly caught up with them to chat everything from art to inclusivity, in celebration of LGBTQ History Month in February.
Firstly, hello! Would you like to introduce yourself and what you do?
Hey! My name Kai Kathleen and I describe myself as a queer illustrator, muralist and facilitator. I work as a freelance artist and run workshops and events in the community.
How would you describe your art practice? How do you like to work, and what materials do you use?
I’m mainly a digital illustrator (Procreate is my favourite thing!) but I also love all mediums; I paint, crochet, sculpt, sew, and use lino sometimes. I think creativity should be freeing and so I don’t like to restrict myself too much with which materials I use and just allow myself to work with what feels best at the time.
Your work is packed with colour and powerful motifs! What inspires and motivates you to create?
Thank you! I loveeee colour, it brings me so much joy and helps me express myself. As someone who would also consider myself an activist I’m very passionate about using my creativity to speak up on things I care about, using my style and gentle colours is me intentionally trying to help these important topics feel a little easier to digest, or come with the balance of softness and connection. As a sensitive person myself I realised early on in my creative career that this is the most sustainable way for me to continue to prioritise activism amongst my other work.
February is LGBTQ History month, and we love to see queer representation in creative spaces! Are there any ways that you think creative industries/ spaces could be made safer and more inclusive for the LGBTQ+ community?
Ooh I could talk for a long time about this especially with the recent attack on trans rights in the UK. I’m very privileged in so many ways but one of the main things that comes to mind with this question is that my work is relatively palatable to most people. Despite lots of it being activism focused, it’s still mostly inoffensive and gentle like I mentioned before. Acknowledging this I would love to see more spaces being willing to open up to and hold space for more queer rage and collective anger. The community is constantly battling so much, and yet a lot of spaces even if they claim to be inclusive, are not open to allowing this anger to be seen, they want the palatable, more digestible work to be celebrated, when really all angles of the experience need to be. Letting people come together to feel all they need to, in community and without censorship, I know would be so helpful and provide a true safe space for the community - so I'd love to see more of this.
What's a piece of LGBTQ+ history that you think more people should know? Or do you have a favourite fact to share!
I would say my favourite one as a non binary person who uses they/them pronouns is that it used to be the most popular pronoun in the English language until the 19th Century.
To this day 254 of the 378 languages in the world don't specify gender with their pronouns - and you always hear people saying it’s something new!
Who's your favourite queer artist? (Tough question!)
I genuinely can’t think of just one, I feel sooo blessed to know so many talented and wonderful queer artists but I would say some of my favourites are my friends:
Phoebe Taylor @studiopheebs
Boe @boestudio.s
Edie @theartistedie
Gabriel Canine @gabriel.canine
You run a monthly queer life drawing session at New House Art Space - what prompted you to begin these, who can join and how?
I actually did my artist residency at Guildford Library back in 2022 and as part of it was given the budget to run 2 workshops - one of them being a queer life drawing session. The turn out was amazing and lots of people asked for more, it took a while to find a venue but after kindly being given the space at NH it all came together. It’s been such a beautiful way to come together as a community, I really look forward to every session and am so grateful for the people who join and make it what it is! Although primarily a space for queer people, activity allies are welcome! (just need to be over 18+). Tickets are sold on my Eventbrite.
(https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lgbtq-life-drawing-class-tickets-1803122841959)
Have you got anything exciting lined up for the new year yet? Or what are you most excited to be working on next?
Something I'm really looking forward to starting is my first picture book. I've always wanted to illustrate a book and decided recently I’d like to try writing one and probably self publish. It’s a big step in my career but I'm looking forward to having a long term project to work on, as well as continuing to run my LGBTQ+ workshops and perhaps adding some new classes in too!