An Inspired Chat with Kathleen Rietz of outskirts

Kathleen Rietz shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Kathleen, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Integrity, without a doubt. It’s the backbone of my business as an artist. Integrity is what builds trust with collectors, my students and collaborators.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
After a successful career as a freelance designer and illustrator for most of my adult life, I made a switch and took a full time job as a Product Development Manager, overseeing the design, development and delivery of holiday home products that were manufactured overseas. My job was all-consuming, long and stressful, and I had given up my art because of the toll the job was taking on my mental health and energy. While at that job in 2017, my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. That diagnosis shook my world. As a way to cope, I found my way back to art. But my art took on a very different approach and style than it had previously. I craved freedom and looseness, following my intuition and whatever I felt my heart needed. I painted mostly abstractly at first, and then my paintings took on a floral style, as I found healing in the symbolism of flowers: love, friendship, birth, death, femininity, gentleness and strength, flowers create memories and connect generations. My paintings began to be collected all over the world, and I decided to hire a manufacturer overseas to print my paintings onto scarves. They were an instant success. I began running my art as a full time business while still at my job. I worked during my lunch hour, nights and weekends, and when my sister’s diagnoses turned terminal, I quit my job in order to spend as much time as I could with her. It was not an easy transition, but the decision was something I will never regret. My art sustained me during those very dark days, and now I teach others to make an art practice part of their healing journeys via my YouTube channel and online art courses.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I think the earliest memory I had of feeling powerful was when I realized I could make a career as a freelance commercial artist in my early 20s. I never liked the constraints of a structured, 9-5 job. I felt such freedom and competence running a freelance business at such a young age. I was able to live on my own, pay my bills, and take afternoons off to rollerblade in the park. The feeling of autonomy and advocating for myself gave me a feeling of confidence and power I had not experienced before. It was such a happy time in my life.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
My life was laced with threads of loss from the time I was a very young child, which opened my heart with sensitivity to human suffering and empathy for all living beings. I lost both parents at a young age. Art has always been a part of my healing journey. At times art felt like my only friend. To this day, I find art to be a way to work through grief, reset my nervous system, and calm my anxiety.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
I believe that God directs our lives if we choose to listen. I cannot prove that to be true, but I know that I’ve seen it happen over and over in my own life.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope to be described as kind and generous with my heart and my talent, and that my art was beautiful and brought happiness to others.

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