2020 Senior Exhibition Artists

Kai Barrows

Art + Design: Illustration

Biography

Kai Barrows is an artist from Cape Cod, MA, exploring oil painting, watercolors, and digital media. They’re pursuing their BFA as a Painting and Illustration dual major at UMass Dartmouth. Exploring intimacy relating to mental health, relationships, sexuality and gender through their digital and traditional work, Kai maintains a figurative focus and connects their subjects to themes surrounding memory, queerness, discomfort confronting oneself in the context of others, and the peace accompanied by self-acceptance. Kai has been drawing inspiration from the essence and mood captured by analog photography, the powerful energy of nature, and the energy of those whose lives cross with theirs. Kai’s work has been exhibited and sold on Cape Cod, at Levitate Wellness in New Bedford, and On The Lawn PVD.

Statement

In my work, I am interested in capturing the feeling of intimacy related to personal memories held within fleeting moments of observation, introspection, or deeply felt passion. The illustrations I create are tied together under the exploration of themes such as mental health, sexuality, and relationships.

I am working on creating stories to publish someday. I have made my first attempt at this through an autobiographical piece focusing on my experience struggling with self-confidence, insecurities, and mental health while navigating my school/home life alongside my development into a professional artist. This comic is about the everlasting search for what you want to accomplish in life, and who supports you on your journey (and having the courage to continue struggling, allowing nature to remove the obstacles in your path, and flowing with the magic of the universe).

My fascination with comics and cartoons has inspired me to tell stories that influence an audience with positive morals. I’m trying to add elements that I wish I discovered when I was younger, things that would validate my own experience more, and give me comfort in the way I live my life, but more geared towards an older audience. I want to contribute to the canon of queer comix and proudly claim the space I deserve to take up.