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Interview with Kirsten Campbell
Kirsten Campbell, Poison, Oil and Acrylic on Canvas
My name is Kirsten. I am a God-fearing, self-taught artist born and raised in the Jersey/Philadelphia area. I started Roll Up & Paint in 2017. My goals were to create amazing art for people to enjoy. Not only on their walls, but to enjoy my art in different aspects of life including wearable art pieces. My art is inspired by my Christian faith mixed with urban streetwear and nature. I started with a canvas and a paintbrush and fell in love with art. I experimented with different types of mediums and found a new favorite in digital art. It has opened many doors for me and helped me come to realize what works best for me. I have entered a world of partnerships and amazing connections with other companies and creatives during this journey and this is only the beginning.
Being a Black creative is a blessing. I love being able to create for the culture and add aspects of myself into my pieces to expand on the works. I feel like people can relate to my art in different ways and I want to reach as many people as possible with my art and spread positivity.
Read our interview below to get a glimpse into Kirsten Campbell’s creative journey.
How have you been able to consistently create and share your artwork over the years? What keeps you motivated and persistent in pursuing your creativity?
I have been able to create consistently and I paint or draw on my iPad every day. I stay motivated only because I genuinely enjoy painting even when I don’t have a specific project in mind.
What made you take the leap to build a creative brand?
I wanted to share my art with everyone in a specific way and I wanted to brand it so people would know my work when they see it.
Kirsten Campbell, Kiki, Do you love me?, Oil and Acrylic on Canvas
How has your creative process changed over time? Is there anything you do today that you wish you had known to do years ago?
I used to smoke before I created, hence the name “roll up and paint.” But I stopped and instead of having a special routine before painting, I just go for it and see where my sketches take me. I should have done this years ago. It’s much healthier and honestly it keeps my mind fresh.
How do you define success as an artist? What do you wish to accomplish?
I think success comes differently for everyone. For me, it’s just having the ability to create freely and share your artwork with the world and I currently do that now. I do want to accomplish having my art in actual galleries though.
What does being a Black artist mean to you?
Being a Black artist to me means being a minority and adding aspects of that uniqueness into my artwork. It’s a form of self-expression that comes naturally and other people who are also POC can see themselves in my artwork which is amazing.
Kirsten Campbell, Too Much Sun
How did you learn the skills to create? Did you take art classes or are you self-taught?
I am self-taught: a lot of trial and error and YouTube.
In your journey as an artist, what has been the most unexpected experience, realization, or challenge?
The most unexpected thing I have experienced as an artist is the competition that non-artists try to put into you with other artists. Most of the artists I have come across are awesome, encouraging, and supportive. I have never experienced so many people who aren’t even in the artist space wanting you to compete or compare yourself to someone else.
What is your biggest barrier to being an artist? How do you address it?
Art block is probably the biggest issue. There are many days when I can’t find anything to draw or create. When I find myself in a block, I just take a break, relax, and let myself naturally come back to the craft.
Artist Contact Info
Instagram: @rollupandpaint
Kirsten Campbell, Palm Sunday, Oil on Canvas