Meet Kelsey Engler | CVT, Veterinary Research Technician, and Visual Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelsey Engler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelsey, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Art has always been the language through which I express my deepest connections, emotions, and experiences in this wild world. Pursuing an artistic career wasn’t just a choice—it was a calling. As an artist you have this unspoken power, and with great power comes great responsibility right? Growing up I was placed on this Earth in the most uncreative and suppressed place you can this of, the deep south. I was surrounded by farm animals that were immersed in chores and work, however from a humble starting I grew a bond with these creatures. Hearing their howls of burdens, seeing the force, pain, and work that they carry moved me to speak for them. I found that art gave me a way to honor the animals, capture their essence, and share their stories with the world. I am not an normal artist who sees something beautiful and wants to recreate it, but more of a writer with a exact-o knife craving the truth story into reality. It really paved the way into adulthood of a professional life in the veterinary medicine and research, retelling the souls I have met and telling the world who they were as animals.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art is a connection, and deep emotional feeling between animals and humans. I had been a Veterinary Technician for over 13 years specializing in emergency surgeries. It was a tough thing to see, and watching pet owners go through some of the worst days of their lives. As an artist, I have a rare perspective of being the person who mediated death or recovery for most of these animals that came through our 24 hour open doors. My bridge of science and creativity, came natural, I wanted to conform and step into the role as a healer but was it enough? Have I done enough? The answer was answered until I allowed my art to take control. At first it was gifts to clients who battled hard losses, then rescues, and before you know it, I had a inbox full of emails….of stories for me tell. It’s been a journey…dedicating my life then to being the writer I never knew I could be. All the stories had one thing in common; the love of a human and dog is very very real.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My best friend from Kentucky, we call her “Kentucky Kendra”, comes in every so often and we reminiscence over brunch at Gossip Grill. My old college, Moe Girton who gave me the spark I needed in San Diego. This place gave me the energy and platform for my art and events take off. From this place I invented The Empowered Art Society full of LGBTQ artists and progressive artist and met new upcoming ideas for my own art.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The San Diego Art of Pride; Last year I was a featured artist at San Diego Pride, and I was honored to collaborate with an amazing community who brought my art to light. They elevated and used my art to move mountains and pave the way for rescues, owners, and other artists to create memories of their pets.

Website: https://linktr.ee/howlinginkz

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howlinginkz

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsey-engler-1a2176236/

Image Credits
Kelsey Engler, Howlinginkz