Kat Lamp is a Greensboro-based artist currently in her final year of the graphic design course at GTCC. She has been independently creating her own beautiful work for the last few years, incorporating very elegant type forms and fantastical illustrative elements. Kat has also created a great series of posters for The Avett Brothers which you can purchase from her online store HERE

What inspires your work?
I find inspiration all around me. Watching the work of my friends progress and evolve. Anything that makes me laugh or feel angry, music, animals & nature, vintage children's books, friends, my fiance Jeff, and our cat and dog.

Would you recommend formal art training to others?
It depends. Speaking for myself, I initially tried to go the academic route and study painting at a four-year college. All the technicalities with studying the medium in that way quickly zapped my imagination and left me feeling less confident. The atmosphere felt too competitive to thrive & I dropped out. After realizing I was more of an illustrator than a fine artist, I decided to pursue graphic design at GTCC to integrate the computer into what I already do. I fell in love with it and I've learned so much. I guess I'd recommend formal art training to those who are certain about what they want from it.

What do you hope to be doing when you graduate?
I'm initially looking forward to having some free time to work on personal projects. Juggling school and work doesn't leave much time for that! I hope to maybe find work at an agency and learn more about the field.

Do you have a typical process/environment when you do your work?
I have an office/studio in our apartment where I work. Design projects usually begin in my sketchbook, move to generations of tracing paper, and usually wind up on the computer. Paintings begin the same way, except the drawings get traced onto blocks of wood.

What else do you do aside from art?
I've been playing bass and guitar off & on for about 17 years. Sometimes I go through phases when I focus on music more than art.

Do you consider yourself a graphic designer, graphic artist or illustrator?
Just the other day, one of my instructors told me I was more of an illustrator than anything, whether I like it or not. So we'll go with that. :)

How did your link-up with The Avett Brothers happen?
My friend Pete is their stage manager. He asked me if I'd be interested in doing some mock-ups for the band to look at, and everything took off from there.

How do you consider the art scene in Greensboro?
There are so many talented & inspiring folks in this town. I just wish there were more places in Greensboro for them to show their work.

What is happening with your website?
Hahaaaa. Well, I'm taking a web design class right now, so only time will tell. Hoping to have something solid this year.

What others artists do you admire?
I love the illustrations of Charley Harper and how he simplified the elements of his subject matter. Jessica Hische and Marian Bantjes are both contemporary designers whose work I find particularly inspiring right now. I love their creative hand-drawn type.

What are you currently obsessed with?
Vintage children's books, Stephen Colbert, and Jon Stewart.

What are you working on at the moment?
Working on the save the date cards for our wedding, and some projects for school.