Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlie Kucik.
Hi Charlie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Growing up I spent a lot of time trying sports and other extracurricular activities but art was never really something that I was all that interested in. I did not live in a place where art is really celebrated or paid attention to much so I never really became confident in my ability to create until I was older. My junior year of high school I joined the yearbook staff and that’s when I first picked up a camera. I fell in love with taking pictures and would take my school camera on the weekends and do shoots of my own with my friends. As high school went on, I became more and more interested in studying at an art school. I applied to Savannah College of Art and Design in a Panera Bread one Sunday afternoon and then after getting accepted and visiting Savannah, I knew that’s where I wanted to be.
I came to SCAD with the intent of majoring in film but after my first film class, I realized that it was not the jig for me. I didn’t know what I wanted to do next but I was still taking pictures on my own with my friends. Starting off college in the middle of a global pandemic was definitely not what I was expecting but I think that being stuck inside left me with a lot of time to explore creatively. I began playing around on photoshop cutting up and layering different pictures together and quickly became obsessed. I already had so much love for taking pictures but now I finally had the power to make the world look however I wanted it to. I’ve been creating mixed media collages for about two years now but I recently declared a major in Fibers so now I’m excited to bring my art to life in a new way. I plan on concentrating on pattern and printmaking with the hopeful intention of making my own clothes one day!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think it’s been a smooth road for anyone. Being a closeted queer individual during most of my youth made me feel like I was never fully able to express myself. Feeling like I had to mute myself because of society’s standards definitely made me question my self-worth but finding validation and power in my own identity has been one of the most exciting and rewarding journeys I’ve ever been on. That being said, growing up in the digital post 9/11 world I think it’s often difficult for people to understand what growing up in this generation is like. We’re told the world is made for us but we constantly are getting let down by old people in charge. We watch the world burn and melt away while the people in power do nothing but take away our future. The world collapses through our phones and we feel like we don’t have the power to fix the problems that are greater than us because of the disappointment we’ve faced time and time again by those in power. We’ve become desensitized to things like kids getting killed at school because it’s all we’ve ever known. It’s mind-boggling watching people choose ignorance at a time where we have so many resources available that could connect and bring us together. There are days where it can be hard to find the motivation to keep going in this world that constantly feels like it’s ending but I’m optimistic and hopeful that my generation can create a more accepting and welcoming world for everyone.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I guess overall I would tag myself as an artist. I’m a self-taught photographer who loves altering my photos to create a world of my own but that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to me and my love and excitement for creating. Last year I got to step out of my comfort zone and had the privilege of working with my very talented friend and producer Chris Stucker who helped me create my first-ever music project, a self-titled EP called “LANDI”. Music is always something that I’ve had such an appreciation for so I am so glad that I had the opportunity to express myself by using another art form that I’ve always admired. Recently I’ve begun working more with my hands while I’m currently studying and exploring the world of fibers. I am learning new skills every day and becoming more excited about integrating them to the projects that I plan on working on in the future. There is so much fun and room for creativity in our everyday lives. You just have to be open and accepting to new ideas and possibilities. I love pushing my limits as a creative and working alongside slay people who have new young ideas. Currently, my most proud moment would probably be my gallery exhibit that I will be having at Alexander’s Bistro in Savannah, GA this winter starting January 2nd. I’ve been having a lot of fun arranging what I’m gonna be displaying and can’t wait to fill up their walls with my artwork.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I think as an artist taking risks is something that leads you to find new doors of opportunity and perspective. With risk taking you have to be ok with the idea of failing but what’s important is to focus not on your failure but how you are gonna get up again. I was not always confident in my ability to create and that may be because I was afraid of other opinions but the more I experimented around and valued the opinion of others less I have found a new sense of freedom and creative confidence that now empowers me to want to try new things. When I do a photoshoot, typically I have a very vague concept in my head but I like to find inspiration from the location I’m shooting at and the subject I’m capturing. I would say I’m a pretty go with the flow lad that likes getting lost in the process of creating. While some creatives might like to have things more planned out beforehand I think that when I rely more on my instincts, I’m able to create art that is more authentic. At this time we are living through where there are so many fake expectations about how people should look as a young artists. I think it’s really important to be showing realistic depictions of people because there is room for everybody here and we all deserve to be celebrated in our own natural light.
Contact Info:
- Website: charliekucik.com
- Instagram: Charliescreativespace
- Other: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/landi2/landi
Image Credits
Models: Morgan Elliott Isabella Song Harley Vanluvender Ricky Garcia Saskia Eberman Emmy kelly Francis Appouh
