Kazilla

Kazilla’s style bounds between the street and fine arts. A native of New Mexico, she currently resides and works from her studio/gallery in Little Haiti. After moving to the East Coast, her work transcended from the street arts and combined her two styles of fine art and graffiti to create an edgy, colorful clash of two very different worlds.

The feminine figures, surreal landscapes and vibrant colors create a daunting visual feast for all audiences. She also works as a live artist performing for celebrity acts like Wu Tang, Slick Rick, Chaka Khan, Digable Planets, Steel Pulse, Timbaland, Immortal Technique and Arrested Development.

Designer, muralist, photographer, producer, lyricist, editor, musician and director of the non-profit artist group Multiversal, this is one blonde bombshell who wears many hats and has her hands in an array of projects that keep her busy.  Antisteez.com caught up with the indie artist to chat about her visions, inspirations and message – cause there’s ALWAYS one involved.

• Antisteez: How did you get started as an artist?

KAZILLA: I was born.

• Antisteez: What inspires you creatively?

K: Nature, conversation, live music, pretty girls, culture and floating in the ocean.

• Antisteez: How would you define Kazilla?

K: A live artist, designer, photographer, producer, street artist, painter, dancer, poet and musician.

• Antisteez: Where did you grow up?

K: Santa Fe, New Mexico. I didn’t really grow up until I spent a year-and-a-half hitchhiking, backpacking and camping all along the West and East Coasts.

• Antisteez: Where have you previously shown your work?

K: Galleries, streets, the world.

• Antisteez: What type of medium(s) do you utilize for your paintings? What is your favorite?

K: I love markers. Big fat markers, and acrylics, and aerosol. I like making a mess.

• Antisteez: Which  artists have influenced your work?

K: It’s more art movements than individual artists. Egyptian line art and figures, indigenous and Native American art, Hellenistic statues, Marvel comics, art nouveau, impressionism, and six years of anatomy, biology and organic chemistry classes.

• Antisteez: What message would you like to convey to the public through your art?

K: I think my art is my freedom. The difference between my dreams and reality is that in dreams my eyes are wide open, and in reality I feel they are shut. My work pushes the boundaries within myself, I try to make myself a better person; loving more, living organically in a plastic society, reflecting on elevating to higher state of being, consciously cultivating safe spaces for living creatures and organisms in their elemental spaces and letting go of self. It’s more a message to myself; people will see what they need to.

• Antisteez: What’s/are your favorite color(s)?

K: Currently: turquoise, saffron, and purple outlined in black.

Check out some of Kazilla’s pieces below, and for more info on this 305 Lady, click here.