pop star

hope everyone enjoyed a lovely weekend filled with the sweet scent of springtime blossoms and may day festivities! with spring in bloom, it seems the perfect time to share a little eye candy from oahu illustrator kat reeder who has created an enchanting world of candy colored vintage pop starring hula girls and island lovelies.

at first glance, you can almost hear a hint of skirts swaying and beachy 'dos being swept aside by the trade winds, but dig a little deeper and you will discover layers of sketches mixing with digital brushstrokes and handpainted details to create the fresh now-meets-then charm of kat's illustrations.

happily, kat was kind enough to share a peek into her world and i discovered that her roots (born in peru and raised in miami before arriving in hawaii) add a bright, latin-influence while her love of art nouveau, tropicalia and retro packaging from bygone eras are the top notes inspiring her cosmopolitan coquettes. don't you just love all those luscious locks befitting 70's starlets and crime-fighting angels?

sally's song

hawaiian girls

2009 w's triple crown * this dream of mine

{designer notes}

how has living in hawaii influenced your work?
i've lived many places, but my senses have never been aroused like in hawai'i. i am bombarded by natural beauty and color. the skies are the bluest blues. the flowers are unapologetic in their vibrance. the intensity in my work palette is richer since moving here. i can't help it. i'm surrounded by beautiful things.

what is your definition of good design?
good design stays with you for a long time. it tickles your intellect and makes you feel something real. designers love to dissect grids, layouts, and fonts but all that means nothing to someone who's mesmerized by packaging. good design smacks you in the face. good design you keep in a shoe box, under your bed, with all your sketches.

little moments of bliss that recharge your soul?
discussing art with my husband, who is also my best friend. making up funny songs about my dog lola. opening a fresh jar of nutella.

local delights that are a must in your beach picnic basket?
chicken empanadas from valerio's bakery, ube roll from golden coin, and a six-pack of inka kola (peru's national soda) from the latin market on s. beretania.

pay it forward with a few words of wisdom that were passed on to you:
the best advice given to me recently was by wonderful local artist mark swanson. i was feeling insecure about hawaii embracing me as a digital artist. he told me i had to ultimately create art for myself and everything else would fall into place. he was right.

mahalo kat! (ditto on the nutella)

kat's artwork has already graced the coveted w's triple crown poster and has gained the notice of a growing list of local galleries. upcoming projects include an official calendar for 2011 but, until then, you can order up prints and more in the online shop.

p.s. personal commissions are also welcome!

Comments

[Kat]

I really love how you feature local artists! Wonderful illustrations. Also another digital artist! yay!

[Olive]

I can't wait for the calendar! Love her work :D