Meet Kristin Gaston | Illustrator

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

Hi Kristin, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
I remembered watching one of Bobby Chiu’s advice videos for artists a few years ago and the advice that stuck with me was to prepare your space for work. I have a hard time with procrastination because I overthink how I’m going to accomplish what I want to do, so simple actions such as clearing my table and choosing what materials to use really helped me to begin working. It became a ritual to prepare me mentally for work. I’ve also adopted this approach to exercise and strength training.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I began showing an interest in drawing after my right arm was paralyzed from a rare side effect of an asthma attack. I had a lot of alone time because of my illness so I watched a lot of cartoons and drew what I saw. Eventually I wanted to become an animator but after taking a couple of classes at school, I decided to pursue being an illustrator instead. Like many others, it’s out of my budget to attend a university for that, so I’ve been teaching myself how to improve while simultaneously getting my artwork out there through local events and shows. It is difficult not to compare myself to others who are further along in their careers, but I choose to acknowledge what I have overcame to be in the position I am and to be thankful for my friends and family who support and push me to keep going. I’ve met so many wonderful people through this journey who have brought out the best in me and I can’t imagine my life any other way.

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.
Ramen tatsuya has the tastiest ramen so I would take them there. If they like to dance then I would suggest barbarella’s. It gets really crowded so I would suggest going there early. If they’re brave then I would take them to United Jiu Jitsu with me so they can try out the martial art.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to my best friends from Sam Houston who pushed me to be a better artist. I also want to dedicate it to my childhood best friends Bayo Omole and Simi Indupalli who still bring positivity and love into my life. Finally, to my mom who never stopped supporting me.

Website: https://krisigeeart.wixsite.com/kristincreates
Instagram: Instagram.com/krisigeeart
Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/krisigeeart
Facebook: Facebook.com/krisigeeart
Other: Etsy.com/shop/krisigeeshop Tee spring.com/stores/krisis-store Patreon.com/krisigee

Image Credits
My friend Letty Perez