Museum Mind: Kiki Turner

I get really excited when I come across cool InD creatives.

Since starting my blog and self proclaimed InD Nation, I have met hundreds of InD visionaries, all amazing, all with their own point of view. It's really a blessing to be exposed to the cool kids of the InD fashion and art community. When looking for a potential feature, I search online and off for the individuals that simply Stand Out. The creatives who put so much of themselves into their work, they really don't have to explain it. You can just read it with your eyes; power pieces I like to call them. An admirable example is a piece like KiKi Turner's "Flowerchild" creation that I came across on IG. 

Do you have any creative routines or rituals?
No, I don't have rituals or routines. I'm constantly inspired by so many things around me like fashion, models, nature. I then store ideas in my mind and it gets backed up! So as soon as I'm done with one illustration I'm pulling the next idea out of my 'vault'! It never ends.

What is your artistic medium of choice?
Guache! I love love gauche. I was only allowed to use gauche in college, so I'm very good with it now. I attended Parsons the School for Design. My major was Fashion Design.

Who's work do you feel you relate to the most at this point in your career?
I'm not sure if I can relate to anyone right now. If I mention anyone at this point I would say Brianna McCarthy and Antonio Lopez. I'm very inspired by fashion design, and the woman's body. Antonio Lopez was the dopest fashion illustrator I know. Brianna McCarthy is known for her portraits of Black women. She does more than portraits, but I can most relate to that aspect of her work. She captures me with the expressions in the faces of her models.

What does being creative mean to you?
Being creative means to free your mind of any conditions that control it. Then using your thoughts, feelings, and ideas to create something - to create music, art, fashion, food, etc. Anyone can do it. Everyone is creative in their own way; freeing your mind is the hard part.

Do you have a favorite piece you have created? Why?
As of now yes. I do have a favorite piece but I don't want anyone to know what it is!! I think it's my favorite because I surprised myself. I took a risk with this particular piece and it came out way better than I expected. That's what is so beautiful about creating something. You never know where your mind is going to take you in the process. 

What 's the best advice you have ever received?
The best advice I received is hard to put on paper. In school my Professor told that at some point in our careers there will be people who will see what you do and take something from it. Or, there will be people who will copy you. Copy your style, copy your ideas, etc. She proceeded to explain that when your are the originator of the thought or idea that someone had stolen from you never let it get to you. Since the idea came from you, you're the one with the unlimited supply of it. In other words you will always think of something bigger and better than what was taken from you. I hope that makes sense! That stuck with me and it makes me really realize how powerful creativity is.

Where can we follow you and your work?
I'm so new to really putting my work out in social media right now. As of now you can find me on Instagram under kiki_elice. Etsy www.etsy.com/shop/KikiElice, and at Society6.com/kiwi.