meet {so&so} monday

meet: KURT HALSEY, artist of little moments & simple thoughts

Kurt Halsey Fredericksen (better known as Kurt Halsey in the art community) was born on January 26, 1978 in the small town of Racine, Wisconsin.  As a youngster, Fredericksen developed his artistic personality and empathic storytelling approach by dabbling in cartoon imagery and four-panel drawings.  He was inspired by the comic strip “Calvin & Hobbes,” and had aspirations to one day become a newspaper cartoonist.  However, fate had other plans.  Fredericksen would later have a semester stint at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, and then go on to graduate from Minneapolis College of Art and Design with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Painting in 2000.  He explained his shift in mediums:

❝Paint on canvas- you can never go wrong with that. It has history and staying power.❞

With meager beginnings, his simple sketches and compelling paintings gathered an underground following and soon became an internet phenomenon.  Fans and critics alike were able to find some, if not all, of his pieces to capture a time, sense, or being that left an imprint on their life–be it fleeting, lasting, or tragically nonreciprocating.  Although Fredericksen is elusive, as are most artists; he has been featured in Herbivore Magazine, ISM Quarterly, and Hi-Fructose Magazine.  Thus, the latter affiliations support this artist’s identity as a proud vegan.  He often portrays animals, especially felines, with heart-aching cuteness, and at times, a touch of anthropomorphism.  Perhaps, most identifiable are the witty titles, empathic one-liners, and thought-provoking scribings on almost all of his pieces.  Fredericken enlightens fans of his style:

❝Influenced by my hopeless romantic and super sensitive mindset, I pay far too much attention to the little things in life and in the relationship between two people. In constant need of reassurance, explanation, closure, and attention, my paintings are made.❞

At present, Fredericksen resides in Portland, Oregon with his fiancé, June, and their cats.  He continues to create drawings and paintings, but has since expanded his repertoire to include calendars, embroideries and buttons.  His works can be found in art exhibitions across the country, and can be perused/purchased through his website, artstar, and every so often on ebay.

On a personal note, I discovered Fredericksen’s work in the early 2000’s.  Needless to say, the feelings of loneliness and nonreciprocated likings resonated with my middle-school self.  I would use the library computers to print out his pieces and plaster them inside of my locker, while most of my peers had teen heartthrobs in theirs.  Over the years, I have grown up, as have his pieces.  Below are a few of my Fredericksen favorites ❤

{oh, hello!}

Hello, readers! Have you missed me?! I’ve missed blogging and although I did keep tabs on my favorite blogs while I was away, I did neglect to stay up to date with my own (lame, I know).  Despite the guilt of missing several “How-To Tuesdays,” I did take over 1,000 pictures in less than a month!  That means that my mid-year resolution is going strong. So, where have I been, you ask?  Allow me to recap my Maine hiatus via collages:

Have you ever tried a program called Picasa?!  If not, you should give it a whirl.  It’s a gem of photo editor that allows you to make an instant collage–be it tiled (seen here), scattered mock-polaroids, or even a giant superimposed picture of as many pictures as you’d like.  This google-based software is incredibly convenient and user-friendly, so I suggest you take advantage of the free download! Expect more of these in these in the near future!

I have to admit my love for breathing in the salty, ocean air and dipping my toes in the sea are like nothing else.  The simplicity of life is overwhelming when you sit beside the ocean, or in my case, twirled haha.  Clearly, I was meant to be a New England girl.  Maybe someday, sigh.