Meet Kristy Stryker | Artist & Kindness Enthusiast

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

Hi Kristy, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
When it comes to values and principles, it’s difficult for me to choose one that is “most” important, but I do feel that this is an important part of who I am and plays into what I do in my business, so it’s worth discussing. That said, three of my top values and principles are: Community over competition, authenticity, and unconditional acceptance of others. Especially in the art community, it can be easy to get caught up in the comparison and competition mindset. I can respect that many artists spend years honing their skills and often creating unique techniques or even materials for their personal work which makes them hesitant to share much with others; however, I personally feel that there is room and space for all of us to succeed. I believe in community, which means offering advice or tips when sought out by others, sharing my successes as well as my failures and consistently inspiring and encouraging others to explore their creativity. I believe coming together and sharing our experiences as artists only helps us to grow our community and connect with others, while putting more art out into the world – which I think is a great thing.
I believe in being true to who you are and sharing your honest, raw and unapologetic self with the world. We aren’t meant to fit into the same mold or be everyone’s cup of tea and that’s perfectly okay. While I sympathize with those who truly struggle to share who they are without fear of repercussions, I truly value those who are comfortable sharing their quirky, individual personalities in an honest and open way with others.
Finally, I believe in “unconditional acceptance of others.” By this, I mean that we don’t always know someone’s story. We should begin our interactions with others by unconditionally accepting them for who and where they are, without passing judgment and making assumptions. Goodness, this one can be so tough! I’m not perfect at this every time, but I try to acknowledge when I realize I’m not giving someone the benefit of the doubt before I know their story. A little kindness can go a very long way.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve been creating for as long as I can remember. I was definitely the child who turned trash into treasure every chance I got – collecting all of the popsicle sticks and toilet paper rolls. I loved the process of making handmade gifts for friends and family. As a teenager and into young adulthood, my preferred choice of expression was poetry. While my current artistic business began by dabbling in acrylic paint pouring a little over three years ago, I would say that I’ve become a mixed-media artist with a primary focus on fluid art. I find that it can often feel difficult to set yourself apart from other artists in a medium as abstract as fluid painting. However, I do pride myself on trying to “think outside the canvas” and work hard to hone my skills on manipulating the paint and other mediums I work with to create a more intentional work. I do love that with fluid art, the results aren’t always what you expect; there’s an element of surprise to your finished piece. However, with enough practice, experimentation and heaps of patience, I’m able to create artwork in this fluid style that truly is unique and set apart from the basic fluid art techniques. I am proud of the work that I have put in over these last few years to experiment and learn what works best for me to get the results that I want. What helped me the most was letting go of my fear of failure. When things don’t work out or go as planned, they are simply a learning experience and steppingstone rather than a failure and setback. This mindset helps me keep pushing forward and evolving as an artist. One of the things I take pride in the most with my art and brand is my focus on incorporating values, principles and causes that mean a lot to me. I’ve always dreamed of being able to utilize my creative talents to do good and give back. – Enter my “Painting With a Purpose” campaign, wherein you’ll often find me creating specific works of art with color schemes or themes that coincide with a monthly cause that is near and dear to me, of which a portion or sometimes entire profits are donated back to an organization in support of that cause. I believe in advocating for what is important to me, with a significant focus on mental health, the LGBTQIA+ community and general practice of inclusivity, at-risk youth and overall child advocacy. I create exclusive products to donate annually to a non-profit organization in my home state of Missouri that focuses on eliminating financial barriers faced by adoptive families, with a mission of turning hope into reality for those seeking adoption. I will always strive to find ways to combine my passion for creating and my compassion for others when putting my art out into the world.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I’m being honest, I don’t spend a ton of time “out on the town” or anything like that. I refer to myself as an “extroverted introvert,” meaning that I’m often a homebody, focusing on my family and my art, but can be super social in the right crowds and with my circle of friends. That said, I would absolutely take my out-of-town friends to visit Old Taylor High, where I teach painting classes at Wilco Art Lab. This renovated high school is full of charm and things to do – Including a pinball arcade, bar & tap room that hosts live music, a local coffee shop and several small boutiques and restaurants. Being on the outskirts of Austin, however, opens many opportunities for city life and activities. Perhaps after a trip to Jerry’s Artarama, we’d hit up a local spot for snacks or lunch, such as Gourdough’s Donuts, Top Notch, or my favorite tex-mex restaurant, Polvo’s. Peter Pan minigolf is an iconic Austin fave and I can never resist a stroll around Ladybird Lake or a hike at Ink’s Lake State Park. If visiting in the Spring or Fall, you can bet we won’t miss an opportunity to head out to the hill country and pick strawberries or wildflowers and pumpkins at Sweet Berry Farm and hit up Mozart’s Coffee Roasters for their fabulous lightshow at Christmastime.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would absolutely not be where I am in my artistic journey if it weren’t for a few key people in my life. My husband, Chris, has been beyond supportive of every endeavor I’ve ever embarked on. Not only is he encouraging of me trying something new and deciding to turn a hobby into a business, but he is so much more behind the scenes. From being my sounding board to bounce ideas off of and gain valuable opinions with a new perspective, to being the labor and extra set of hands for building different components of my work and setting up for vendor events as well as being at my side the entire time. Of course, my biggest fan is my daughter, Lily. When I’m feeling discouraged, she is the best little cheerleader, always reassuring me that I’m a great artist and she’s always offering real feedback and ideas of her own to help re-inspire me. Of course, my entire family and many friends have been so encouraging all along the way. The other most important person I’d like to recognize is Shay Jung, my friend and the owner of Wilco Art Lab in Taylor, TX. Shay has been such a bright light of inspiration and encouragement for my artistic journey. Not only has she created a space where I can expand my business as an artist by teaching classes at the art lab and meet other creatives in the community, but she has personally been a source of wisdom and friendship. Shay is a wonderful communicator and truly has a way to bring people together. Her collaborative ideas and desire for everyone to succeed is beautiful and such a needed asset in the artist community. I’m so thankful for not only her friendship but her guidance as an artist and business owner as I continue on my own, similar journey.

Website: www.sayyestothemess.art

Instagram: www.instagram.com/sayyestothemess.art

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sayyestothemess.art

Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/sayyestothemess