Meet Kaiden Embers

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kaiden Embers. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kaiden, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

I believe creativity is woven into my very being; it comes naturally and is in every aspect of my life. From doodling, to dressing in fun colorful outfits, to whistling non-stop – I am constantly expressing myself through art. I am a mixed media artist, as well as an art teacher and educational programmer in the Cultural Arts division for work.

There’s a deep curiosity and yearning to continuously create some form of art, so I am always trying to find new ways to create. I am always trying to find inspiration in my day-to-day life; flowers and shadows while I’m on a walk, paint splatters in the studio sink while I clean up after teaching my art classes, a random doodle while I’m on a phone call, and so on.

The best way to keep the creativity alive, I’ve found, is by resting when you need to, and creating when you’re able/want to. It’s very easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks of life, but even the smallest moment or object around you can inspire a new art idea to bloom. Take that idea, lean into the curiosity of the project, and just go for it. Art can be as small or as big as you’d like it to be!

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

As I mentioned above, creativity and art are in every aspect of my life!

During the day, I am an Educational Programmer and an art teacher for my work’s Cultural Arts Division. During the week I help run our Cultural Arts programs, art camps, youth theatre program, and so on. On the weekends I teach art to pre-school students (ages 3-5), as well as pre-teen students (ages 9-12). I have recently begun instructing workshops for kids at a local art gallery, as well.

I have been working with kids for 11 years now; originally started as a camp assistant for my work’s art camps, moved up as a camp instructor, and now work as a year-round programmer and teacher. Teaching art is easily one of the most rewarding things I have done so far in my creative journey. Anyone that knows me in person knows that I can, and will, get teary eyed when talking about my job. Watching my students create artwork, find their artistic style, find their confidence – it really makes my heart warm.

Outside of work, I’m a queer mixed media artist. I’m known for my Scanography artwork (photography created with a scanner bed), and have been in several galleries all around the Metro Detroit area. My artwork is inspired by anything and everything – from my personal journey as a transgender/queer man, to childhood trauma, to my synesthesia when listening to music.

2024 has been a big year for my art – 3 exhibitions in the last 3 months! The most recent gallery show was the 53rd Scarab Club Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Photography. This was my first time showing work in the Scarab Club gallery, so I was very excited! What an honor it was to have my work showing alongside all the other amazing artists in the show.

Hobby wise, I’m a cosplayer and go to conventions all around Michigan, sometimes featuring as a panelist or as an artist in the artist alley. You can find me dressed up at the Michigan Renfest, dancing at a concert, knitting or sewing at home, running around at Pride events, whistling constantly. Always artsy, no matter the medium.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

-Honoring your true self
-Curiosity, in every form
-Knowing when to Rest

Whenever I reflect on the journeys I’ve taken, I often think of a quote I saw online that read: “be the adult you needed as a child”. I became the art teacher I needed, the trans adult I needed, and I take the breaks that I needed as a child. Make sure you are taking care of your inner child, and keep going even if the journey gets wonky.

If you’ve found something that makes your heart happy, honor that and keep moving towards it! Whether that something is an art medium, your true identity, a new job – it is worth pursuing. Keep finding happy moments as you go along, keep your curiosity around, and make sure to take rests when you need to. Resting is just as important as pushing forward.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

I have a few methods I do when feeling overwhelmed:

– Do a little dance or song break, even if it’s a simple “shaking off the stress” move.
– Remind myself that it’s okay to ask for help when overwhelmed (seriously, it’s okay to ask for help!)
– Eat some food, maybe cry, and take a nap

Contact Info:

• Website: https://flickr.com/kaidendunn
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aswavescrash/

Image Credits

Image 1: Danielle “Deo” Owensby
Image 2: Kaiden Embers
Image 3: Kaiden Embers
Image 4: Phoenix Danvers
Image 5: Kaiden Embers
Image 6: Julia Rhode
Image 7: Kaiden Embers