Artist Statement
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I'm a black artist from St. Louis, Missouri, and I create illustrations that harness the whimsical nature of the human spirit. Most of my work exists in a fantasy space or with the supernatural, sometimes defying the physics of the "real world". I work mainly through digital, watercolor, marker, crayon, and ink to highlight the soul of my piece.

I develop paintings of otherworldly festivals under the stars, fashion editorials featuring mythical creatures, and digital depictions of gods eating noodles at a diner. My illustrative and concept work includes chroma harmony and high saturation, while my comic work is mostly in black and white, Japanese-manga style. To me, art is communication, and I create to talk to others about my life, dreams, uncertainties, and protests. By modeling realities a bit more fanciful than our own, I build pieces that invite the audience to take shelter in.

- Kai Phoenix