Today’s feature is about a young artist whose art we saw on Twitter and were just amazed by the vibrancy and colours of her artwork. She is only 17 years old and lives in Québec. Read our chat with Karen and learn more about her inspirations and her favourite queens to draw.
DA: How would you describe your art style? What’s your process when creating art?
Karen: I would say my drawings are semi-realistic and recently, I’ve been trying to incorporate vibrant colors and nature into my art.
DA: How did you get into drawing? Do you have any advice for someone wanting to get into drawing/painting?
Karen: My teachers and family have always seen my love for art since I was a child and they’re very supportive of what I do! Practice is the key to success. I would recommend drawing a few times per week, and if a person wants to go further with their art, I would suggest taking classes.
DA: Favourite Queen(s) to draw and why?
Karen: Adore Delano and Bianca Del Rio, because they have different makeup styles that are very fun to draw! They’re also two of my all-time favourite Queens.
DA: Where and how do you find your inspirations for drawing a queen?
Karen: Makeup and fashion are two things that inspire me to make art. Whenever I find a picture of a look that I like, I recreate it on paper and I try adding creative elements to bring my drawing to life.
DA: Has there been a starstruck moment when Queens reacted to your art on social media?
Karen: Definitely! The very first Queen to react to one of my drawings was Bianca Del Rio, and it meant the whole world to me. I felt like my art was finally validated and it gave me the motivation to do more.
DA: How is the drag scene where you live? Can you recommend some of your fave local queens to watch out for?
Karen: The drag scene in Montréal is absolutely beautiful! Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to see a drag show yet since I’m only 17 years old. I watch some of the local queens’ performances on Instagram and my favourites are Rita Baga and Phoenix Vyxen.
DA: How has drag impacted your life? If you’ve been to shows: Favourite show you’ve been to and why.
Karen:Drag has impacted my life massively! It gave me the confidence that I never knew I’ve had and it has been a major influence to my art. As I mentioned earlier, I haven’t been to a show yet, but I’ve seen all of Bassem Feghali’s performances on tape. She’s a fabulous drag queen from my birth country (Lebanon) and I grew up watching her impersonate celebrities on my television before even knowing what drag is!
DA: What are your plans/goals for the future? What would be your dreams to achieve with your art?
Karen: I was recently accepted in Architecture, and it has always been my dream to work in that field, which is related to art.
DA: How did you find Adore Delano? Why are you a fan and have you met her before? What are your favourite songs of hers?
Karen: In 2014, I randomly found Adore’s “Hello, I Love You” music video on YouTube before knowing what RuPaul’s Drag Race was. A few years later, when I started watching the show, I thought her face was extremely familiar and her energy made me like her almost instantly! Adore’s unique voice is the reason why I became her fan and her album “Whatever” is definitely my favourite. I haven’t been to any of her shows yet but hopefully, I’ll get to meet her soon and tell her how much she means to me if she decides to come to my city (fingers crossed).
We would like to thank Karen for sharing her art with us and hope she gets to meet Adore Delano very soon!
Check out her social media below:
Twitter:@dy_tesfaye
Instagram: @artbykarenk
