Find my Interview Feature in Kirkland Living Magazine!

I am honored to have been interviewed for a spread in Kirkland Living Magazine’s October 2021 issue! The story covers my perspective on owning a business in Kirkland, what it was like to be a part of Kirkland Summerfest this summer, and a few local businesses in Kirkland where my art is hung!

Kirkland Living is a free magazine automatically mailed to all addresses in Kirkland.

How long have you lived in the neighborhood?

I have lived in the Juanita neighborhood of Kirkland all my life – sixteen years!

Who is in your family?

I am an only child and I live with my mom and dad. My mom is a teacher and my dad is a firefighter for the City of Kirkland, and they’ve both been very supportive of my love of art. One great thing about being an only child is I can use the extra bedroom in our house as an art studio.

What are your plans after high school?

After high school I plan to earn a Marketing degree in college and continue to pursue my love of art and painting. I like marketing because – like art – it is very creative in nature.

What sports and extracurricular activities do you participate in? 

I love painting and creating art, and I own and operate my art business Austin’s Awesome Art (austinsart.net) – which I founded in January of 2020. It’s been a ton of fun turning my passion into a business, and I’ve really enjoyed participating in local art festivals, pop-ups, and art walks to showcase and share my art.

What do you enjoy about your sport/activity? 

I love painting because every project is a fun challenge. I merge realism with my imagination and use bright colors to bring my paintings to life. I believe the key to producing good artwork is having fun in the process of making it, and I definitely think that shows through in my work. The largest painting I’ve ever completed is a 12-foot-long tropical triptych that took nine months to complete – and I love capturing the tiny details in each piece.

Tell us something you achieved or some highlights of your experience so far in your sport/activity? 

I recently started participating in art festivals across Western Washington and love sharing my art with others by painting live during events. This summer I had a booth in Kirkland Summerfest, which was a ton of fun to be part of such a significant event. Another achievement I am proud of is creating a 20-page DECA Business Growth Plan for my art business – which won first place in Washington State and placed 4th overall in International competition. It was not only an amazing experience but was also a practical project for my business!

Is there something that makes you unique in this activity (a specific strength or quality you bring)? 

One thing that makes me unique is I love both the creative and business sides of art. Most artists I know would prefer to focus on simply creating art. I was very fascinated with the behind-the-scenes aspects of how to turn a passion into a profession and decided to start my own art business when I was just 14 years old. It’s been very rewarding to learn real-world business skills such as creating an online shop, managing fulfillment of orders, learning accounting and even how to pay sales taxes! My art is now carried in nine retails shops across the Puget Sound region and is hung at ten local businesses, coffee shops, and cafés such as SPUD Fish & Chips in Juanita.

How do you keep a balance between sports, school, and other activities in your life? 

I love being involved in so many things, but it does mean I am often crazy busy. I have been really busy this summer with art festivals and recently learned how to create a visual prioritization board I put on the wall. I also find it helpful to create a to-do list every day with my highest priorities to make sure I am focusing on the right things.

Name someone you admire. What makes them special and how have they motivated you? 

One artist I admire is Michael Birawer. I am inspired by his vibrant art and how he creatively captures Seattle’s most popular city scenes. I recently had the opportunity to meet Michael at his gallery in downtown Seattle. In addition to Michael Birawer, I am also inspired by the iconic painter Bob Ross - to the point I co-founded and instructed the Painting with Bob Ross elective at Finn Hill’s Environmental & Adventure School for three years in a row!

Local businesses in Kirkland where my art is hung:

• Better Back & Body Chiropractic (Juanita)

  • prints of my paintings are up on the walls!

• SPUD Fish & Chips (Juanita)

  • prints of my turtle and sailboat paintings are up

• An Artful Touch (Totem Lake)

  • a print of my Bob Ross drawing is displayed

• Framer vs. Framer Picture Framing & Gallery (Totem Lake)

  • nutcracker and turtle pieces on the walls

• SAP Art Gallery (Juanita)

  • a pop-up art gallery in 2020