Pride + Cannabis: June Artist Series

When she’s not greeting campers at the Steamboat KOA you’ll find Kaytee Hoffman creating art in various mediums. That’s right, Kaytee was the selected winning artist of the June Artist Series competition made possible by our friends at Wana. When you ask her about the passion for art she has, her answer is simple. I just try to “make the world a bit more colorful, one piece of art at a time.” For winning our June competition, Kaytee walks away with $400 cash and a load of goodies from Wana.

The theme for our June competition was “Pride” with the hopes of seeing some inspired submissions. We were on the hunt for pieces blending the themes of love, inclusivity, and openness, sprinkled with a cannabis undertone, of course. Needless to say that Kaytee nailed it on every level. Her winning piece will be featured on wearables handed out for free at Billo beginning June 1st. June has become known for being Pride Month and a celebration that the Wana Brand supports at every level.

Having had the chance to catch up with Kaytee after being selected our June winner, here is what she had to say.

Q: Did you have an immediate vision for what you wanted to create or did it take some time to get started?

A: This design came to me pretty quickly after discussing it with my fiance. We were having dinner when I brought it up and I started having some epiphany moments with this particular theme. I incorporated the cowboy hat alongside a knit beanie which to me really signifies Steamboat. We’ve got both a ranching heritage and incredible skiing. Between the couple in this piece they are holding a cannabis leaf. It’s like they’re holding a rose for love but in this case it’s a different kind of flower. So yes, this theme became pretty clear to me from the start.

Q: What inspired you about this month’s theme that got you to submit your piece?

A: I’ve always been a really big supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. I have a lot of friends who identify that way, and the culture of that community is so genuine. People have gone through so much with how they identify and I believe we should just let people be who they are. The idea that love is never wrong really resonates with me. The struggles behind loving somebody can sometimes be overwhelming. We might all wear different hats but we all still want to love and be loved by other people.

Q: How long did this piece take you to create? What were the biggest challenges you faced?

A: This one took maybe 10 hours or so when you include all the fine tuning and such. For this one, I used Procreate on my iPad. The tool allowed me to draw the design directly on the iPad. But what’s cool about it is that it captures the art digitally and even feels the pressure of the Apple pen. So it’s as close to sketching on paper that I’ve found so far. I’m pretty new at digital art but I’ve been playing around with it and figuring it out. When my fiance and I decided to live full-time in our camper, I had to become selective about how much I could store with us. The iPad has become a very handy, portable, and small way to draw. The trickiest part is making sure it’s charged, ha.

Q: What are you most proud of when it comes to being an artist?

A: I guess it’s how I’m just always encouraging others to be creative. Everyone of us is an artist in our way when you think about it. It just takes practice. But in the end, you really can’t look at something you created and say it is “wrong.” Everyone has their own expression when it comes to art. People just need to let their creativity loose and share it with people. So when I can, I try to encourage people to create and wear that artist hat.

Q: What do you enjoy most about the culture of arts in the Steamboat Community? Do you find camaraderie among other creatives here?

A: Every artist I’ve met in town seems to be super-supportive of each other. It can be funny too since we follow each other on Instagram but have never met in person. Then you meet them at some point the social media aspect becomes a real connection. And when I meet fellow creatives at the Farmer’s Market they are always so supportive. I think that speaks to the small town atmosphere of arts here. I also love how Steamboat is putting up more and more murals around town. It’s really helping make downtown more colorful.

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So there you have it. Kaytee Hoffman, just another member of Steamboat’s creative subculture. Join us on June 1st when we give away Kaytee’s artwork printed on various tanks and tshirts. A big thanks going out to Wana Brands and their incredible line of gummies. Quality edibles like theirs can surely inspire the inner-artist in all of us.

Check out more of Kaytee’s work at ktizzleart.com or follow on Instagram at @ktizzle_art

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