Create! is excited to share an interview with abstract painter Kyle Goderwis, who is currently featured in the PxP Contemporary exhibition 'Chromatic'. Kyle is an abstract artist living in Seattle, WA who works in various mediums, such as acrylics, collage, and epoxy resin.

He graduated with a BFA from the Art Institute of Atlanta in 2004. His focus in school was computer animation, but not long after graduating, he realized his passion was instead in fine art. Working at an art supply store helped fuel his desire to paint, and he established relationships with local artists in the process. During his time in Atlanta, Kyle participated in shows at various fine art galleries, as well as other shows throughout the Southeast. In 2010 he joined a group of working professional artists to further his education in the fine art world.

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Artist Statement

I've always been excited by the combination of different materials. A piece from a sketchbook and an old magazine for a collage piece. Acrylic paint mixed with epoxy for a particle board piece. Adding that final pencil mark to make a painting complete. I think it comes from working at an art supply store after college. I was introduced to so many materials, and I was able to try them all. I like mixing different mediums while trying new techniques, and I like to make my work bold, but lighthearted. I'm drawn to pinks, yellows, and bright colors. I want people to be engaged by my work, and to enjoy the final piece as much as I enjoy the process.
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Can you share a bit about your background and how you became an artist?

I know it's a cliche answer to say, "I've been an artist for as long as I can remember", but the art really did start early on. Growing up, I remember doodling around the borders of the comics in the Sunday newspaper, and on the back of the kids menu at a restaurant. I won a coloring contest at Blockbuster Video in 4th grade and thought that was the coolest thing ever. I took the very few art classes available through high school and then fully dove in for college at the Art Institute of Atlanta. My interest at that time shifted to computer animation, so I graduated without ever taking a painting class. Not too long after, I knew I made a mistake. I was working at an art supply store while at school, and realized the art I could make with paint and a canvas was way more satisfying than what I was doing on the computer. So I started buying supplies and getting as many free samples as possible, and started painting.

How did you develop your style?

I was always interested in abstract art. I never took any painting classes, so I just experimented with the various materials and mediums. I started to develop my style while working with a group of professional artists in Atlanta. I studied their techniques and listened to all their knowledge of materials, and added that to my own ideas and interests.

Tell us about the specific pieces you're showing in "Chromatic". Give us a bit of insight into your process of creating them and what you hope viewers take away from seeing them.

The series I am showing for Chromatic is "Sketchbook Stories". I wanted to find a way to give the viewer a look into my sketchbook, so I recreated the pages of the book into larger paintings on canvas. My sketchbooks never had any sketches. Probably because I draw about as good as my 7 yr old. So I would save interesting pieces of tape that were used to mask off the area of a canvas. Or a cool color I mixed on a piece of scrap paper. I would add these to my sketchbook to reference later on. Then, I started to add more color and marks to them and they became these complete little paintings. I liked them so much, I wanted to share them with others.

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What role does color play in your art?

Color plays a very important role in my art. I've always been drawn to bright colors so I tend to always use pinks, yellows, light blues. I rarely use any dark or muted colors. They just feel too dull to me.

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Just for fun! What's your favorite color?

If you weren't able to guess already, my favorite color is pink. I use it in almost every painting. When in doubt...add pink!

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Instagram: @kyle.goderwis.art