Meet Kevin Fletcher | Artist & Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kevin Fletcher and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kevin, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
Persistence with your business, goals, and skillset can be one of the most powerful qualities to have. But like anything, there should always be checks and balances with pushing forward. Through growing my art and design practice, I’ve learned that being faced with moments of wanting to quit, or give up, is inevitable. Whether it may be related to a small task or a large, long term project – I often take a step back and ask myself a few questions when feeling the struggle to keep going: 1). What / how long will it take to get through the issue that is holding me back?
2). Why is this moment in particular challenging me?
3). If I were to keep going and everything worked out, what would that outcome look like?

Being able to break down and visualize situations that make you want to quit helps lead to thoughtful responses rather than impulsive reactions. Abruptly giving up every time you come across a roadblock often leads to a pattern that holds back your growth and development. Yet, you must also be critical of the alternate – by always pushing forward no matter what the circumstance, you may find yourself losing a sense of limits / priorities, and missing out on better opportunities.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As many artists, my path has not been entirely linear leading up to my current practice. With over ten years of professional and academic experience in the architecture and design industry, my passion for bringing visualizations to ideas has been shaped around the cultural interaction of people and their surroundings. My background in architecture inspires my artwork through the personal experiences and memories of projects across Florida, the Caribbean, and Middle East.

Throughout my years in college and working as an architectural designer, my personal art projects transitioned from hobbies to free-lance work. Progress was slow due to the limited hours I could dedicate outside of work. Yet, I began managing my schedule to focus on achievable goals. Early on, there was not a direct theme of my work. It was mostly digital renderings and paintings of whatever came about. From architectural graphics to music album covers, I eventually became interested in taking a step to physical painting.

Over the past 5 years, my paintings have been focused on themes of self. I paint figurative portraits that reflect my love and interest towards the perception, identity and emotion discovered in ourselves. My works are studies that capture moments of the subject’s character, carefully fragmented and bound together as a whole. I often refer to my work as ‘momentary portraits,’ due to the temporal aspect of how each subject reveals itself. It is a process of discovery, not only when observing a finished piece – but also throughout the development of the painting.

In my current workflow, the digital process continues to play a critical role – as it is often the first step in visualizing a new piece. I use digital sketching, painting and image manipulation to manifest an idea behind each portrait before putting a physical brush to canvas. This format provides me with a sense of freedom to explore and develop my work, beyond the walls of my studio. Over the years, my digital sketchbook has increasingly become an integral part of my process – as I am often inspired in times of distant travel or simply when out around people in my neighborhood. My work is a reflection of captured thoughts and observations towards those around me.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Having been born and raised in Miami, I’m aware how much we take our location for granted. Spending a morning on the beach is a must – and to enjoy a slower atmosphere, a weekday is ideal! I would recommend to take advantage and experience the most walkable areas with the most to offer: Downtown Coral Gables / Miracle Mile, Coconut Grove, Wynwood + Design District, Lincoln Road Miami Beach, & Brickell!

I live and work in Coral Gables – which over the years has allowed me to enjoy new restaurants and places to walk. Some of my favorites are breakfast on Miracle Mile at Pura Vida, lunch/dinner/drinks at one of them many options on Giralda Ave.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to the artist who has inspired me since a child – my grandfather Silvio Caballero Esteve (b.1927-2020). I cannot confidently say that I would be who I am today, let alone have my own art and design practice, had it not been for his influence, guidance, and love. I attribute the relationship I shared with him for nearly 30 years as an integral part of my story.

Having support from family and friends is invaluable – I owe much of my success to those that have been there closest to me along the way. At the top of the list would be my wife Kelly, who has been alongside me throughout every step forward and decision made in the past 10 years.

Website: www.outtaink.design

Instagram: @artistkmf

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-m-fletcher

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/outtaink/