illustrator kim krans
While Brooklyn-based artist Kim Krans's company The Wild Unknown primarily showcases her work as an illustrator - via handmade prints, cards, calendars and a children's book - it also references one of her other passions: music. The name comes from a Bob Dylan song: "So I cut off my hair and rode straight away to the wild unknown country where I could not go wrong." Fittingly, Kim has a cabin in the mountains of the Catskills, in upstate New York.
Which five words best describe you? Stubborn, perceptive, intuitive, and super sensitive.
How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? When I was in third grade I won a drawing contest for forest fire awareness in the state of Michigan. I drew a picture of an owl sitting on a tree branch with some little rhyme about forest fires. When I won the contest my owl drawing was made into billboards all over the state… it's been hard to match that beginning!
What’s the best lesson you’ve learned along the way? Find supportive relationships.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Illustrating my first kid’s book!
What’s been your best decision? Leaving home at 15 changed my life. Much to my family and friends’ dismay, I quit the varsity basketball team and moved away from home to attend Interlochen Arts Academy where I received a scholarship to study drawing and creative writing. I graduated high school believing in myself and in my talents. When kids have the opportunity to find what they love to do their lives are forever changed!
Who inspires you? Jonny Ollsin, Dallas Clayton, Tim Barber, Sean Pecknold, Amelia Bauer, the ladies in Warpaint and the guys in Animal Collective. These artists mean so much to me... I get giddy when I think about them. I’ll collect their photos, songs, films, books, and anything else they make until I’m an old woman.
What are you passionate about? Drawings, sketches, lists, notes, plans... basically anything handwritten... and all demos.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Honestly, I get so nervous to meet people I admire! So I’ll keep this vision really lighthearted and say I want to meet Stevie Nicks on the dancefloor at some epic party where the music is too loud to talk, so we just have to dance all night.
What dream do you still want to fulfill? Touring Europe with my band, finishing my second children’s book, oh and someday being interviewed by Terry Gross.
What are you reading? Eeek, I’ll admit it: I’m halfway through book 4 of Game of Thrones!
How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? When I was in third grade I won a drawing contest for forest fire awareness in the state of Michigan. I drew a picture of an owl sitting on a tree branch with some little rhyme about forest fires. When I won the contest my owl drawing was made into billboards all over the state… it's been hard to match that beginning!
What’s the best lesson you’ve learned along the way? Find supportive relationships.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Illustrating my first kid’s book!
What’s been your best decision? Leaving home at 15 changed my life. Much to my family and friends’ dismay, I quit the varsity basketball team and moved away from home to attend Interlochen Arts Academy where I received a scholarship to study drawing and creative writing. I graduated high school believing in myself and in my talents. When kids have the opportunity to find what they love to do their lives are forever changed!
Who inspires you? Jonny Ollsin, Dallas Clayton, Tim Barber, Sean Pecknold, Amelia Bauer, the ladies in Warpaint and the guys in Animal Collective. These artists mean so much to me... I get giddy when I think about them. I’ll collect their photos, songs, films, books, and anything else they make until I’m an old woman.
What are you passionate about? Drawings, sketches, lists, notes, plans... basically anything handwritten... and all demos.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Honestly, I get so nervous to meet people I admire! So I’ll keep this vision really lighthearted and say I want to meet Stevie Nicks on the dancefloor at some epic party where the music is too loud to talk, so we just have to dance all night.
What dream do you still want to fulfill? Touring Europe with my band, finishing my second children’s book, oh and someday being interviewed by Terry Gross.
What are you reading? Eeek, I’ll admit it: I’m halfway through book 4 of Game of Thrones!
images courtesy of kim krans