Even though Kukula has been releasing prints with 1xRUN since 2012, it’s hard to believe the multi-talented artist has yet to do a hand-embellished print, but we are excited to announce that we have Kukula’s VERY FIRST Hand-Embellished edition Play With Us available now! For this extremely unique edition, Kukula has chose one of her recent works created with colored pencil and will be adding individual hand-embellishments to each print, making each a one-of-a-kind! Read on as Kukula gives us the story behind Play With Us, the birth of her first child and much more . . .
1xRUN: Tell us a little bit about this piece, anything immediate you would like us to highlight about this image?
Kukula: This painting was a part of a color pencil multi character group show at Corey Helford Gallery. It was inspired but French Toile tapestries and Chanel Cruise collection from 2013 (the Versailles Collection).
1x: When was this piece created and what materials were used to create this original piece?
Kukula: It was created in 2016 with Prismacolor on mixed media paper.
1x: How long did this image take to create from start to finish?
Kukula: This drawing took about a week and a half.
1x: What is unique about this piece compared with your other work?
Kukula: It is the only full background and full composition painting I have ever made in color pencils
this painting was a part of a color pencil multi character group show at Corey Helford Gallery. It was inspired but French Toile tapestries and Chanel Cruise collection from 2013 (the Versailles Collection).
1x: What is unique about this print compared to your other work?
Kukula: because it the first hand embellished print I ever made. Each print is unique and took a lot of effort to create.
1x: Describe this image in one gut reaction word.
Kukula: Temptation…
Play With Us – Hand-Embellished Edition by Kukula – Click To Purchase
1x: You recently had a baby! Congrats! You were powering through the last month or show still working on your show right? How did that go?
Kukula: was so much easier than I expected. Was even fun and I was excited about having a baby so it felt like I’m making this show for her with a feminist concept in mind. Physically it wasn’t so bad either, it so much harder now. All I want to do is taking naps with the baby.
1x: Aside from the baby, what have you been up to over the last few months? Bring us up to speed on how things have been going recently for you?
Kukula: I was working on a mini solo show with Haven Gallery that was showing in Miami Scope art Fair. I reopened my online shop because I want to design more than just paint and also to be able to give my fans something they can afford.
1x: Any recent shows or exhibitions that you had?
Kukula: The Last show with Haven, Princess of None, was inspired by Gainsborough and Reynolds. I was also inspired but how I feel about the president…it’s a show about fighting back and making a revolution.
1x: What are some of the ways you have been trying to push yourself with your work over the last year?
Kukula: The art fair in Miami was 2 month after my due date so I had to be done completely before the baby came. I was trying to create work for me to keep going with after the baby so I won’t completely stop. I was afraid it will be hard later so I was trying to prepare for the future as much as possible.
1x: What are some strides you feel you’ve made in your work recently?
Kukula: I always try to be a better painted but I also try to think deeper of what I’m trying to say. Lately I feel like I found a new voice in me and that I care about the message more that when I was a younger artist.
1x: What was the last piece of art that you bought?
Kukula: I got two Murakami Dob’s statues from Complexcon.
1x: Do you have any big shows or events coming up that you’d like to share?
Kukula: No, I’m working on my biggest painting but it’s commission so it won’t show anywhere. Next show will be Miami art again probably. I do less and less shows in galleries because I like working on a smaller batched of work, the quality of what I do is always getting better this way, I don’t get as burnt out and many people get to see the work in the art fairs.
-1xRUN