Kirsten Geyer (aka KSTAN)

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Kirsten Geyer (aka KSTAN), featured in AQ Volume VI, is a self-taught painter based in the Pacific Northwest, known for exploring realism and atmosphere through oil painting. Kirsten often works from found photographs from the 1960s and 70s, drawn to the color shifts and spontaneous compositions present in vintage snapshots. Her work strikes a balance between grounded realism and interpretive abstraction, aiming to evoke both nostalgia and new perspectives.

KSTAN’s art has been featured in several publications, including a profile in ArtIT Magazine’s 2024 Portrait Artist of the Year issue, as well as a cover and interview in The Adroit Journal (Issue 49). She has exhibited in local galleries throughout the Pacific Northwest and has contributed artwork in support of both the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art and the Museum of Northwest Art.


www.kstanart.com

What inspired you to become an artist, and how did you decide to commit to this path?

Art has always been a part of how I interact with the world—something inside of me that longs to share myself and my perspective in a deeper way. It's not really something I decided; rather, it is something I allow.


Could you share the story or concept behind your recent work?

I am always searching for the perfect balance of work that is grounded in realism but also leaves enough room for personal interpretation from the viewer. Using vintage photos of commonly captured moments as reference allows that thread of nostalgia to anchor the painting while allowing me to be as free as I want with my brush strokes and abstraction.


What role does experimentation and exploration play in your artistic practice?

I spend so much of my energy fighting back fear in the studio, and experimentation and play are absolutely essential to allow me to work without being plagued with having to create an end product. I try to reserve the first hour of the day in the studio to paint in my sketchbook or follow some random artistic tangent that I find interesting in the moment.


What message do you hope your art conveys to the world?

There are works of art that I have seen that have truly changed how I see the world. I find myself entranced by the colors in a shadow or the beauty of a pile of electrical cords, and it's because of these artistic 'breadcrumbs' that other artists have left in my brain that the world has opened to me in a new way. I hope my artwork can do the same for others!


Share a mantra or favorite quote that keeps you going.

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't – you're right." — Henry Ford