Introducing Katerina Guillermo

An Interview by Jessica Kincaid

JK: What are some things that you wish you could have spoken about during the Slide Slam? Three minutes is a very short time.

 

KG: If you knew about who I am and where I came from it would make more sense why I chose my subjects.

 

JK: What are some of your plans for taking advantage of the Residency?

“2 For 1 Because You’re 21” (Fall 2016  22 x 30 in Intaglio Etching)

“At 22 I Realized I Didn’t Mean That Much to You” (Spring 2017 29 x 41 in. Mixed Media) 

Every year I make pieces I call “Natal Prints,” and they summarize what I am as an individual and mark my development as an artist and as a person. My birthday is in November so I’m due to make another one soon.

 

In my studio sometimes I hear everything all at once. I hear people rehearsing, people behind me, at least I don’t feel like I’m alone. It’s like the more productive side of being in school.

 

The last time the theater people were here I could hear them rehearsing in explicit detail.

 

JK: You lived in Florida. Didn’t you make a series of works based on tropical storms? I remember a little about them from the slide slam.

 

KG: Those are about Tropical Depression. I lived in Miami. I got a job as a phone actress because it would go with my school schedule.

Tropical Depression is when someone who is clearly dealing with depression and/or self loathing and trying to escape that through sex. There is a lifestyle advertised there that becomes inevitable. It’s an escape into a fast lifestyle.

 

On the phone some people would ask if their fantasies were valid. A guy wanted to know if it was ok to fantasize about being cuckolded.

 

JK: Did you ever use scripts?

 

KG: No they (the person who was hiring me) said just be yourself because they can tell if you’re faking it. Somehow from your voice alone you can tell if someone is being genuine.

 

One of my favorite conversations was a casual conversation with a guy that lasted two hours. He could afford it. He talked about art, living in New York, a story about being locked out of his apartment in his boxers. I wrote it down but unfortunately around that time the calls got a bit more aggressive, so I stopped working for that company.

 

People who are not therapists have to be a brick wall for others who are going through and releasing their emotional baggage, whether they mean to or not.

 

JK: It’s another instance how everyone wants that authenticity, they want your voice to be genuine, your art to be real, a human need for connection.

 

KG: This Halloween my friends are throwing me a “Surprise” Birthday Party and I’m going to do a simple costume for the first time. I’m going as Death. A lot of Halloween costumes have sexual implications, if it’s a woman dressing up she’s always a “Sexy Nurse, Sexy Librarian, Sexy whatever. I was going to be “Sexy Milk Carton” because I wanted to find the most un-sexy thing and put it on my head and then dress my body in sexy underwear. And my friends were like, “What? Why would you want to do that?” But then I saw there were two girls who did it! They were in their underwear and one had a toilet on her head and the other had the poop emoji. I was happy to see that someone got the idea!

 

I used to do roller derby. There was nothing like it because you got so fit and it was a stress release because you could go and sweat and be physical and you got to hit other girls consensually.

 

JK: I forgot to write down my questions!

 

KG: I’m sure you’ll figure it out.

 

About Jessica Kincaid

Visual Artist with a passion for detailed craft and Web Development.

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