Meet Kristin Roberts | Artist/Illustrator

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

Hi Kristin, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work life balance has always been important to me, but it’s gotten a lot blurrier over the past few years. Currently I work full-time in human resources and art/illustration is a secondary business. Because of this, the line between work and life can get a bit confused. I love making art, but by trying to turn it into a means of income, it has really become a second profession. And because I love it, it’s also my stress relief and a huge source of wellness for me- so it certainly straddles the line between life and work.

Right after I graduated college, I was pretty consumed with my regular 9-5 jobs, and would really only make art on commissions or if I was randomly feeling creative. Once COVID hit, I had a lot more time at home and I started to draw and paint on a daily basis. I realized how many ideas I had and how much it meant to me to be able to make art consistently, so I made it a priority. Since then, I’ve worked on many different projects and have honed in on my favorite subjects: animals and nature. I’ve also been lucky enough to participate in exhibitions, and even sell my work at shops and art markets.

Nowadays, my usual timeline is to do my human resources job on the typical Monday-Friday schedule, and to make my art in the evenings and on weekends. One of my favorite ways to start a Saturday is to get up a little early, make breakfast, and then sit down at my desk (with one or all of my cats) to start creating. It’s very freeing to have no set time limit, especially if I’m working on a particularly involved task like painting.

Ideally, I would love to turn my secondary business of art into a full-time profession, specifically as an illustrator for children’s books. As I work to grow my portfolio though, I’m trying my best to keep the passion and joy in my work, without letting it turn into a financial grind. If I’m able to eventually go freelance, that would be a dream, but if not, I feel like the sheer act of creating and being able to share some of my work is enough to feel personally satisfied and accomplished.

There’s an interview with musician John Frusciante that I watched years ago, and his overall message really stuck with me. He said, “…the more you explore the fact that by consistently reading, or consistently practicing an instrument, or consistently studying the laws of science; you will gradually grow in a way that’s inward that can’t always be measured but will always create fulfillment inside you and will always give you a fascination for where you are and what you are and why you’re here.” This is the sentiment I try to keep with me while I work. Product is important, and can even be a living, but it’s not the core reason I create art. I create because I feel the impulse to do so, and I think feeding those impulses is one of the healthiest things I can do for myself. That’s why I really enjoyed answering this question – work life balance can get messy, but I think as long as you stay true to your motives and your vision, you’ll always evolve and maintain an overall sense of fulfillment – and that’s worth more than anything.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art, like most other artists’, has experienced a huge evolution throughout my life. I started drawing when I was very young with a lot of encouragement from my dad. He was an engineer by profession but was also extremely creative. He was excellent at drawing and would also write poems and short stories. I started off drawing the usual subjects many love as children – animals. My love for animals and nature ran very deep, and I thought I would be a zoologist. My work was illustrative and funny, and I often took advantage of a program at our elementary school that would print and bind books that the students wrote and illustrated. Illustration felt natural to me, even then.

In high school, I had lost touch with my art, having gotten more heavily involved in regular school subjects, socializing, and sports. It wasn’t until my senior year when I had a mildly traumatic brush with calculus that I decided I needed an outlet that wasn’t reading, writing, or math. I joined an Art 001 class, and found relief once again in drawing and painting. My teacher, William Allik, was incredibly supportive and invited me to also join his AP portrait painting class. It was through these classes that I decided I wanted to major in art in college.

Throughout college I experimented with a lot of subjects, turning to darker, more serious influences like war and true crime. I stuck with these ideas after graduation, until work and day-to-day life overtook my drive to make art consistently. However, the extra time at home during the pandemic led me back to making art every day – this time influenced by folklore. Through these pieces, I rediscovered the joy and comfort of creating on a regular basis, and my fascination with animals and nature. These quickly became my new subjects, and I dove in to make more and more work.

Throughout my rediscovery, I found my illustrative style once again showing through, and I decided to lean into the idea of children’s illustration. I’ve only really just begun working on my illustration portfolio, but it feels very right and true to me. Looking back, I think it makes sense that I would return to the type of art and subjects I loved as a child. I have so many ideas and projects that I can’t wait to work on, and I feel my inspiration really blossoming with this new art direction.

As far as challenges and things I’ve noticed along the way, I think what I’ve learned is to hold onto creating for myself and my own wellbeing, and that it’s okay to take breaks. With a full-time job and regular life, there will be days I can’t draw or paint, and that’s okay. I’m making art because I love it and it feeds my creative instincts in a very positive way. My ultimate goal is to be able to illustrate full-time and make my living off of it, but I’m trying very hard to hold onto the happiness that comes with creating. I never want art to feel like a chore, because to me that really pulls the life out of a piece. I always want my work to reflect me, and I want viewers to feel the joy that I felt when making the work (especially in children’s illustration!)

When it comes to what I’d like people to know about me and my art, I just want people to feel happy when they look at it! Ideally I’d love to be able to transport viewers into the worlds I create – worlds where wolves doing a morning routine and foxes acting in a school play feels natural and tangible. When I was in college; working with my old, darker subject matter; my professor Frank Owen wrote each student a letter. In mine, he commended my tackling of difficult subjects, and suggested viewing my illustrative style as an asset. He also noted that if the weight of the world got to feel too overwhelming and oppressive, to “go to a ball game” and allow myself to experience some positivity and enjoyment. While I still cling to my true crime interests, my attentions and artwork trend heavily towards the delightful and funny aspects of life. I’m looking forward to continuing in this direction and seeing where it can take me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m still pretty new to Georgia, so there are many things I want to do and see in Atlanta and even in my hometown of Athens. I’d really like to go to the aquarium, the Fernbank, and the Coca-Cola Museum; as well as see the Ponce City Market. I also need to go on an eating tour of the city, and try all of the best food. I have been to the High Museum, which has a gorgeous collection, and I look forward to going back! As far as Athens goes, my favorite restaurants are Slutty Vegan, South Kitchen, Mother Pho, Big City Bread Cafe, and Condor Chocolates. The Georgia Museum of Art is a must-see, as well as the Botanical Gardens. For shopping, the Indie South, Wuxtry Records, and K. A. Artist Shop are my all-time favorites.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My first dedication and thank you will always go to my husband, Aidan. He is always there to bounce ideas off of, help me pick up whatever art supplies, frames, or festival items I may need; assist me in working out any issues with a piece I may be having; and is just a constant source of support and encouragement. I also have to thank my friends Valerie and Nontalie, who consistently share my artwork with others and keep me flooded with warm feedback. I’ll also thank my cats Jimmy, Leeloo, and Samson; who always keep me company while I work.

Website: www.kristinrobertsart.com

Instagram: @kristinrobertsart

Image Credits
Image credit to Aidan Roberts