Spotlight: Kieren Dutcher, Teaching Artist and Illustrator

Kieren Dutcher grew up in a creative home and was encouraged to be a maker. From an early age, she learned how to sew, knit, and embroider from her mom and went on to get an art degree and teach art.

How did you find yourself on an artist’s path? Always there? Lightbulb moment? Dragged kicking and screaming? Evolving?

I grew up in Oakland, Ca in a house full of makers. My dad was an architect and built furniture on the side, always working on our old brown shingle house. He took classes in stained glass, and ceramics, so I saw him experimenting and exploring in his spare time.

My mom was an interior decorator who designed projects for Sunset Magazine, refinished furniture, ran the PTA and baked bread for a local deli. She taught me to sew, knit and embroider from the time I could hold a needle. I clearly remember her saying, ‘You CAN fight city hall, and win!” She showed us that with her community activism, helping keep local schools from closing, and chairing a new library building in our community. I think my urge to create political art stems from her example. We were marching in picket lines with her from an early age.

I was surrounded with creativity and encouraged to make stuff. I went to UC Davis in the design department, then transferred to CCAC (California College of Arts & Crafts, now called California College of the Arts). I later earned a teaching credential and an MAEd, focusing on Art Education.

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Spirals of Serenity embroidery by Kieran Dutcher — Spirals of Serenity

All during high school and college I had part time jobs working with kids, and eventually taught at an elementary arts magnet school. From there I got a job teaching art to kids, which I did in several schools, for over 25 years.

Along the way I illustrated one picture book for kids, and am working on more.

What different creative media do you use in your work?

I started a line of greeting cards, which began with the valentines I send to friends and family every year. I have mostly painted in gouache and acrylic ink, but love printmaking, and all textile work – quilting especially. My illustrations are also in some institutional settings: one hospital in SF has 18 of my paintings printed on glass, on the pediatric ward. My work has been in books, magazines, book covers and even on TV.

Since the pandemic I have been doing a lot of embroidery. I have no idea where any of this will take me, I just make what I am inspired to make.

Is there an overarching theme that connects all of your work?

I love pattern and color, those are the big themes in my work, but also get inspiration from nature, folk art, women artists and social issues.

Do you have a dedicated space for creating? If so, what does it look like?

My current studio is the dining room at our house, it’s an odd triangular shape but it has skylights, windows and french doors to our deck – lots of light.

I have three work tables, one for my computer, one standing drafting table where I paint and a lower table with a cutting mat, currently holding piles of fabric and projects in the works.

I have supplies stored in drawers, bins and flat files. I have a cabinet for tools, printing ink, and mailing supplies for my Etsy shop and wholesale shops. Shelves hold my sets of greeting cards in boxes.

A closet in another room holds all my fabrics and yarn in bins. Someday I hope to have them easier to get to. I dream of having a studio space large enough to teach regular workshops.

When you go to your studio to work, how do you decide which media / project you’ll work on?

When starting a new project I often draw idea or layouts in my sketchbook. Sometimes I just have an idea in my head, it really depends on my mood and how confident I feel in my idea.

Do you work actively on more than one project at a time?

I am always working on several projects at once, and pick one up when I get stuck on another. I find deadlines really helpful to help me prioritize and finish work.

I currently am a teaching artist four days a week at an art center for disabled adults (niadart.org), so my studio time is pretty limited at the moment.

What do you do to keep yourself motivated and interested in your work?

Social issues, loving and being concerned for the future of humanity and our planet, all the beauty I see when I walk on the trails near my house each morning, traveling to new places, art by other artists, folk art, art supplies. There is so much to be inspired by!