Meet Kendall Gill | Artist & Fashion Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kendall Gill and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kendall, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I became an artist out of a need to find answers, and I keep going out of a need to uncover questions.

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” As a child, this question draws a rush of excitement as there seem to be infinite possibilities unconstrained by our world’s reality. When a beloved school teacher posed the question to me in third grade, I responded without inhibition, “A fashion designer,” I proclaimed confidently, having recently realized that a mermaid was no longer a valid career choice. As other kids began to shed their dreams, I kept mine clutched close to my heart.

Dreams became a reality as I slowly learned to hand sew with commandeered fabrics and notions taken from my late grandmother’s sewing room. I assume that she noticed as she later gifted me a sewing machine. I did not realize it then, but when she gave me my machine, my grandmother was displaying early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. My family hid it from me for as long as possible; however, Alzheimer’s is an ugly disease, and it began taking more and more parts of my grandmother away, leaving only the shell of the magnificent woman Joanne once was.

The reality of the situation eluded me until we were packing up her sewing room following her transition to an assisted living facility. This act filled me with a sense of defeat, as we seemed to be giving up on her. It isn’t easy to understand how far away someone can be when they are sitting in front of you. You think that you can still see them and maybe they’ll come back. At this moment, I realized that she wasn’t coming back and that her stack of fully prepped and half-finished projects would go to waste. My grandmother was a great seamstress who made my mother the most amazing costumes and dresses and beautiful children’s clothing for me and my sister. In finishing her work, I continued her legacy while developing an appreciation for quality craftsmanship.

As my identity as an artist grew, I began to assume that my purpose was to answer questions. I would think continuously about the best way to represent physical manifestations, such as the colors hidden in everyday objects and light’s effects on them, and mental representations, such as nuanced emotions so complex that words cannot begin to convey their depth. However, constantly checking these boxes was tiring, as definite answers proved situational. Time spent creating imparted me with the lesson that the answer is most likely just another question, and what could be more interesting than that?

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My name is Kendall Gill, and I am an artist. I aim to convey the subtleties and nuances often lost in life’s fast pace. I dedicate myself to the medium of clothing as it allows me to slow down and pay attention to the creation process.

I decided to pursue fashion in the third grade. It was the obvious choice to answer the infamous question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Elementary school me proudly brandished the title of “fashionista,” as I would regularly show up to school adorned with extravagant accessories such as fingerless gloves, sparkly scarves, and an assortment of costume jewelry to compliment my uniform. My grandmother was a seamstress and bought me my first sewing machine as I entered middle school. Around this time, my grandma, whom I called Gaga, began developing Alzheimer’s disease, which eventually took her from me in 2019. I cultivated my sewing skills while finishing the half-finished garments she made for my sister, me, and our dolls. Completing her work and seeing the love and care she put into her garments began my fascination with the process behind creating garments.

My dedication to my craft eventually led me to the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), where I pursued my education. I recently graduated as part of the class of 2023 with a 4.0 GPA earning a bachelor’s degree in fine arts for my studies in fashion design. To complement my studies, I also completed minors in Design for Sustainability, Art History, Painting, and Drawing. The skills and tools I learned in these classes work to shape my collections as a designer. Taking on such a rigorous academic load pushed me to create work that I did not know myself to be capable of producing. The mental strain of this undertaking pushed me to begin questioning the meaning of my existence and my purpose as an artist. This challenge gave me a deeper understanding of the human psyche which one can find in my work.

I often struggle to understand people, which has led to an obsession with seeing them. I started by addressing my image before delving into the sea of others. When I address the versions of myself I am programmed to recognize, the girl trapped behind glass, I fail to identify myself. None of these people carry the true essence of who I am. Today, we are all equipped to document the world around us with the mere tap of a virtual button. I have seen myself so much that my likeness has been rendered meaningless. It is now my second nature to look at myself without seeing myself.

The more I create, the more I start to portray the idea of myself rather than just an image of myself.

I hereby invite you into my world. Tread carefully as discarded shells and long-lost ideas litter my bedroom floor, so please try not to crush their delicate remains. In the corner sits an old mirror covered almost entirely by a yellowed sheet—some of the glass peaks through, reflecting the dim candlelight which lights the room. Looking in that mirror, you will see what it once was. Preserving the intricacies of one’s past is nearly impossible, as the carcasses of old thoughts and ideologies slowly turn to dust under the ominous pressure of time. Perhaps to some, the potential to discard the old in favor of continuous reinvention is an exciting thought, and I’m sure that one of the remaining echoes of my former self preserves that notion. I can only remember who I once was through the fragments preserved in the discarded journals filled with imagery and written musings, which now lay haphazardly stacked on an overloaded bookshelf that dips under their weight. Cementing my ideas is only possible through physical manifestations, or they become another piece of what once was, rotting into the hardwood floor. The only consistency here is change.

It’s time to step out of the world I invited you into for such a brief time and once again address the question of art. While painting, I work to convey whom a person is at the given moment, for they may be someone entirely different the next time I see them. In my process, I can capture nuances that reflected versions of me fail to portray. Subtleties and abnormalities form complex ideas and convey strong emotions. Flesh features colors, splotches, and tones that one glances over at first. I am obsessed with capturing a person’s impression rather than an accurate likeness. I want to prove that this version of this person existed, even if only for a second. I want to depict the complex emotions that hide behind our hardened masks. I want to find myself in my work. However, the more I paint, the more questions arise. This practice grows and adapts as flat pieces become concepts for 3D garments.

My work is a constant search for answers that I fear I may never find, but the idea of not trying is even scarier.

Throughout my senior year at SCAD, I created my collection, “Mountains and Meadows.” This collection conveys my experience with bipolar disorder and begins a conversation about mental health and its effects on the individual and those around them. The collection features hand-painted textiles created with a process inspired by post-impressionist painter Helen Frankenthaler’s floor paintings. However, I switched the medium from oil to a mixture of fabric dye and watered-down high-flow acrylic to adapt the process to a wearable medium. Juxtaposition also plays a massive role in the symbolism of the collection, as demonstrated by the contrasting fabric choices. While creating the project, I found myself fully immersed in the moment and idea, and I didn’t truly perceive its value as a whole and its possible impact until its completion. What impacts me most is the audience’s reactions and responses to my work. Strangers and friends alike have approached me to say that seeing my work and hearing my story made them feel seen, which reminds me that I am not alone. As well as initially serving as a healing process for me, the collection allows other people to see their own story within it, which makes clothing great.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I always get excited when my friends visit Georgia because there is so much to do! I would start us off in Atlanta. Some of my favorite spots for food include Sunflower Café and Slutty Vegan. These eateries have very different vibes, but both have excellent plant-based options. I love museums so we would most definitely visit the high museum and scad dash. I would also take them outside of the city for some of the unique hikes one can find just outside of the town.

I would make sure that we spend a few days down in Savannah. For the first day, we would get breakfast sandwiches and lavender spice lattes at Fox and Fig, a fabulous vegan restaurant. We would then walk over to E.Shaver Booksellers to say hi to the resident felines and pick out some light reading. After exploring the cobblestone streets, we would make our way to Brighter Day Natural Foods at the top of Forsyth Park, where we would pick out some sandwiches for our picnic. The park also hosts farmers’ markets on Saturday, where I highly recommend checking out the Wild Light Honey booth. Between the books and the food, that honestly sounds like the perfect day.

Regarding nightlife, I am a big fan of hanging out at Moodrights. The vibes and the drinks there are great, plus the bartender Alex is super cool. Hanging out at the plant river side district and Starland Yard can also be super fun at night. For a more adventurous night out I would definitely visit the Mata Hari’s Speakeasy to see the Downtown Delilahs burlesque group perform.

Visiting Tybee Island is also a must. Just the drive out to the island from Savannah makes it worth it. We would probably start by hanging out on the bay side where the water is calmer. During the heat of the day we would head over by the lighthouse to explore. I think that the marine museum there is really cool to get a better understanding of Georgia’s wildlife and ecosystems. If they’re more interested in learning about Georgias diverse plants and animals we could rent kayaks to head out to the uninhabited island of Little Tybee. To finish off the night we would stop by Sea Wolf for vegan hotdogs and drinks.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mom is my number one supporter. She makes sure to always be there for me. However, my favorite thing about her is that she listens to me.

Listening may seem easy, but if you pay close attention, it’s rarely practiced. The funny thing about this, though, is that we all want to be heard, but we rarely give our attention to others.

As an artist, I have a story to tell. Every act of creation works to develop and push my narrative. However, the thing about being a good storyteller is that it requires immense amounts of practice. And while creating is often a solitary act, there comes a time when one needs to begin introducing their work to the world. This quest for feedback can put one in a vulnerable position, and you allow your creation to be scrutinized and interpreted by others. However, that first outside interpretation of a piece can profoundly impact its future. Art can exist independently, but at least I want to understand how others react to my work and if it matches the intentions I imbued in its creation.

For this reason, my mother is always my first audience. I am always interested in her raw reactions to my work. And after sharing her response, she asks me questions. She actively listens to me and shows genuine interest. She wants to know about my concept and process. Her questions inspire me to push further or clarify my ideas. She reminds me that I am worth listening to.

Thank you, Mom. I love you.

Website: www.kendallgill.com

Instagram: @bykendallart

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendallgill

Image Credits
Kate Knudsen