#GathreGood With Artist Codie Kyle

G: Can you tell us a bit about yourself? 

CK: My name is Codie and I am a visual artist makin’ it up as I go! I am an Austin, TX native and after several years of living outside of Texas for school and travels, I made the decision to move back two years ago and begin CK Goods! 

G: Tell us a bit about your path to becoming an artist. What first inspired you to start painting? 

CK: I grew up with parents who are creatives and entrepreneurs, who showed me at an early age how possible it was to create your own path through passion and self expression. I never necessarily set out to be a full time artist, in fact it sort of caught me by surprise that I was taking painting on full time, I used to be pretty shy about sharing anything I made and set my sight on working behind the scenes in a gallery. Somehow social media intervened and sort of launched me into the direction of getting out of my comfort zone and sharing my work with anyone who comes across it.

Ultimately, I've always felt the need to create as a means to express what’s going on in my world, now it just happens to be job as well! I’ve dabbled in a lot of different mediums, but I was first introduced to painting by my mom and my aunt as a kid. I was immediately drawn to the effortless way they made painting look and the carefree, coffee in hand, overall-wearing approach they took to it. I found myself day-dreaming of having art studios like theirs when I grew up, a space I could spend hours listening to music and creating in. While I still love and appreciate other mediums, painting is the one that I have always felt the most connected to.

G: Your artwork is so unique. Where do you draw inspiration from? 

CK: Thank you! My paintings aren’t intended to be representational so inspiration has come from a multitude of things over the years. Sometimes I reference the peachy, yellow-orange tones that come up in film photos from the 70s, sometimes a small doodle on a coffee napkin turns into a full blown mural, often times, paintings I’ve made were created simply by a mood or an emotion that was conjured up by time spent outdoors, good conversations with friends, listening to Neil Young, and traveling. 

G: What do you hope your art makes people feel? 

CK: For me this style of painting feels carefree and like the truest expression of what’s going on in my mind. The best response I could get from someone looking at my work is to also feel that same sense of carefree expression- I want people to attach their own meaning to my work. I love hearing what other people see in the organic shapes and lines. If I can inspire people to transition into that child-like cloud watching, finding images and stories in everything, mentality, I’d feel fulfilled. 

G: How do you manage being a creative while also running a business? 

CK: It’s incredibly common for creatives who live on this side of their brain to feel overwhelmed with anything business related and avoid it. I try to look at it like this: running a business is a means of supporting the continuation of me being able to create full time.

It’s something i’ve ultimately come to be thankful for and something i’m constantly trying to learn more about. That being said, having majored in Arts Management in college (basically studio art meets business- uniting both sides of the brain) has definitely been helpful! 

G: Why were you interested in collaborating with Gathre? 

CK: Making a physical product has always been an interest of mine. In this particular case, creating a mat that allows people to get outside, lay the mat down in a park and read, or go to an outdoor concert -- those are exactly the kind of products I want to be creating, so when the opportunity to collaborate came up it was an easy ‘YES!’ 

G: We love your personal style - what are three brands you're loving right now? 

CK: Thank you! To be totally honest, I’m probably not the most up to date when it comes to following brands. I’m a thrift store, vintage wearing kind of girl. If i’m not in my studio painting in overalls, my go to outfit would be a pair of vintage Levi’s (or Rolla’s high waisted sailor pants), my mohinder leather slides, a well loved vintage tshirt and my WKND LA earrings that I hardly ever take off. It’s laidback and comfortable and forgiving to someone who is constantly spilling things, particularly paint. 

G: Do you have any advice for women trying to pursue creative paths? 

CK: Get out of your own way and create because it’s what you love to do! Never make something simply because you think it’s what people expect of you or want from you- make something because it makes you endlessly happy and inspires you. Imposter syndrome is real and worth taking notice of for a minute and then reminding yourself that you are a rockstar. Oh, and I heard this little phrase recently and it’s brilliant: ‘Empowered women, empower women!’ 

Follow Codie's artistic adventures on Instagram here, and be sure to set your alarms to shop the limited collab launching 10.15.19.