Meet Megan Kind | Artist/ Muralist/ Creative

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

Hi Megan Kind, why did you pursue a creative career?
I think if you ask any artist why they do art, the answer is…because we have to. I truly believe if you wake up in the morning and whether it’s art, writing, music, dancing or whatever it may be – that that is what you should be doing with your life. If you have the passion and the drive alot can happen in a year. Being a creative isn’t just a career but it’s part of who I am as a person.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Doin art seriously is a struggle. I think for most of us it is. But its something engrained in you early and if its not hard is it even worth it… I always joke that art is a trauma response, but I
think it really is. Most of us find comfort in our art. The things from our lives fuel our creativity. It’s our way of sometimes talking about things and being vulnerable, and sometimes its our way of taking our strength back, or reliving our demons. Majority of my characters don’t have mouths- I rely on the expression in the eyes and body language to convey a feeling. To me a smile can sometimes be a band aid, so I rip it off and I make you look at what I want you to see; An array of mouthless characters screaming into the abyss forcing to be seen and heard. They are beautiful but rough around the edges. I guess i have always found the beauty in broken things. It’s kind of like when you have a significant other and you ask them “what’s wrong?” And they respond “ nothing”, but everything is telling you something is, it’s the look they give, the body language, it’s a feeling, the vibe.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Chicago, its an amazing city, but don’t come here in the winter. 😉

My go to with friends from out of town is first to grab breakfast at Batter and Berries for a french toast flight. We’d then hit all the graffiti walls and mural spots. Most of the time we would be painting but when we aren’t, we are going to the Garfield park conservatory, biking to the the beach, or grabbing drinks at the Penny whistle in Pilsen, Archies in Humbolt park, or sitting on the patio at Handlebar. There is always something happening here. Chicago in the summer is amazing.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are many people who have encouraged me in my creative journey. Without them I dont know if I would have ended up here in my career. My high school art teacher, Deborah Ryder, who not only taught me a variety of skills but also made me feel seen and heard. She helped build my confidence to believe in myself and art as a career. Also my good fried Oscar Joyo, who convinced me to make the leap into a new medium (spray paint)on a larger scale. And my friend Nerd who gave me the wall spaces and tips to really get to explore, make mistakes and learn. But really I want to shout out everyone who supported and loved my stuff and seen somethin from the beginning. Without the support of others I might not have concidered pushing myself as hard as I have.

Instagram: @artistic.kind