Meet Kristin Hussey | fine artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kristin Hussey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kristin, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I was raised in an artistic household and was always encouraged to be creative; whether it was painting artwork, building tree forts outside, writing music, or designing houses for my barbies. For as long as I can remember, I couldn’t picture my life without creativity being a focal point. I loved the idea of having a career that encouraged seeking out inspiration and beauty in the everyday moments, allowed for creative freedom, and would also add more beauty to the world. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to do something that I’m passionate about as my career.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

My mission is to create art that feels like home. I want my art to give people a sense of nostalgia, belonging, and peace.

I am most excited about my newest collection that I am currently working on called “Bodies of Water”. It is a bit of a departure from my typical landscapes with more of a focus on figures, and it also incorporates new media like 14k gold leaf. This collection came to life after one of the hardest years of my life, and it feels incredibly cathartic to turn all of that pain into something beautiful. I just can’t wait to share it with the world.

This year marks 10 years in business, which is so crazy to believe! It wasn’t easy to build my business from the ground up, and there were many moments where I was close to giving up. But at the end of the day I wanted to create something that my children would be proud of, and teach them that you can achieve any dream that you set your mind to. My business has slowly morphed and grown over the years, from a tiny desk in my basement to my own storefront! The biggest thing I’ve learned is you have to keep believing in yourself, especially when times are hard, and trust that when you create work out of authenticity and vulnerability, the success will follow.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh gosh there’s so much I love, I don’t know where I’d start!

First of all, I would tell then to come visit in the summer so that we could enjoy my favorite part about living here: the beach. We would spend the day laying on blankets along Lake Michigan, eating sammies from The Village Cheese Shanty, and searching for Leland Blue Stones along the shore. I would take them to all of the cute shops in Fishtown and Main Street, (including my shop, The Warren, of course!), and we would stop to get oat milk lattes from Mad Cap because they have the best coffee ever.

I would take them on a hike at Clay Cliffs with my husband, Ryan, my girls, Hayes and Pippa, and my two dogs, George and Juneau, because there’s nothing more peaceful than walking through the woods while looking out over Lake Michigan.

I would definitely take them to dinner in Traverse City at Farm Club because the food is incredible and the ingredients are locally grown. They also have an adorable gift shop of products from local artists, which is so beautifully curated. Farm Club was started by dear friends of mine and their vision is just perfection.

And if we wanted to continue the night out we’d head to The Little Fleet for drinks and live music and dance the night away.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am incredibly thankful for my husband, who is endlessly supportive of my big dreams, for my girls who are my biggest cheerleaders, for my sister who I’ve looked up to for forever, for my friends who always show up for me and remind me of my “why” when I’m feeling lost, and for the community of artists who have taught me so much about running a successful art business.

Website: www.kristinmackenzie.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kristinmacdesign

Facebook: www.facebook.com/kristinmacdesign

Other: tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@kristin.mackenzie.art

Image Credits
photos of my store, The Warren, and head shots by Captured By Grace Photography