Anzzia: What’s your background?
Paige: I was born in Ohio where I attended the Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) for a youth art class when I was in 4th grade, and I learned a lot of the basics there. Later I moved to Oklahoma when I was about 9 and took your average middle school and high school art classes, in addition to a painting & drawing class at the Edmond Fine Arts Institute with my instructor, Gary Lennon, who guided me and provided my most memorable experiences in art. This led up to where I am now, attending the Kansas City Arts Institute (KCAI), majoring in Illustration, and aiming to graduate with a BFA in 2021.
Anzzia: How long have you been honing your craft as an illustrator?
Paige: For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawing since I could hold a pencil - as my mom likes to tell me.
Anzzia: Why art?
Paige: Oh trust me I’d be a geologist or a nerd if I could, but art is my life passion and the only thing I’m pretty decent at that I also enjoy doing, so I’m just taking and running with what I got.
Anzzia: In your opinion, what’s integral to the work of an artist?
Paige: I think one of the most important aspects of creating work is that Artists need to take care of themselves. The art world has a nasty habit of praising people who overwork themselves to the breaking point and falling into unhealthy habits. Even something as simple as going to sleep early
and getting 8 hours clocked in has resulted in the best work production from me thus far. Recently I’ve fallen back into the habit of staying up until 4AM every night and it 100% shows in my work, and I’m trying to fix that.
Anzzia: What role does the artist and art in general, have in today's society?
Paige: Literally everything. Everything around you involves an artist in some way, even as something as simple as a pen. Designing something and bringing it to reality is what makes art, art.
Anzzia: Do you still sketch with paper and pencils? Or do you work 100% digitally?
Paige: Every once in a while I’ll sketch traditionally with a paper and pencil, especially when I’m in class or during a lecture, or when I get an assignment and my professors tell me I can’t work digital, but otherwise, the majority of my work is done digitally.
INTERVIEW
Image by: Paige McIntosh