Hi Guys - I am bubbling over with excitement to share today's designer interview with you. It is with Katalin Klecz, an artist who really understands color and makes it shine in her work. Take a read and find out how she became so adept at using color and learn how you can start getting more comfortable with color yourself.And make sure you pop on to the blog again in two weeks when I'll continue my interview with Katalin...she just had so many great things to say I had to split her interview into two parts. Enjoy!

Hi Katalin! Please tell us a little bit about your background and how you got to where you are today.

I come from an artistically-minded family and creativity was always part of my everyday life. My grandmother was a seamstress and I was introduced to the sewing machine at a very young age. I learned to sew and began making my own clothes. I was proud to be wearing something that was unique and that no one else had.

I was born in Poland and lived there with my parents until I was six years old. Then we moved to Budapest, Hungary, my father’s hometown. My childhood and youth is tied to that city, where I grew up in a Polish-Hungarian bilingual family (my mom is Polish and dad Hungarian). Knowing well the polish language and the culture, it was natural for me to go back to college there. Originally, I was interested in studying fashion design. But, my educational path led me to the Academy of Fine Art in Warsaw, Poland which didn't offer a degree in fashion design). Instead I studied interior design, painting and tapestry.

What is it that’s unique about your work and stands-out

Growing up in Budapest, I was greatly influenced by its culture and architecture. Also, I gained a lot of inspiration from Hungary’s rich folk heritage. I wasn’t really conscious of that when I lived there, but later realized how much I can pull from it when I started doing textile designs and was searching for motifs and ideas. Also, in my studies in Poland there was a strong emphasis on conceptual fine arts. Painting and learning how to make tapestry gave me a very strong base. Later, I furthered my education in textile design in FIT NY. It seemed like a perfect path for me because it combined everything I loved. Painting and colors. So I began my journey in exploring pattern and textile design.

But back then the design process was very different. We didn’t use computers and everything was done by hand. Some of the designs took several days if not weeks to complete. This learning experience helps me a lot now when everything is done digitally.

Can you tell us a bit about your design process?

For me it all starts with painting. I like to paint more than I like to draw. I use my brush more as a pencil. Instead of using a sketchbook I like to paint on a big piece of paper so my imagination can go further. Painting is very intuitive for me. I’m creating without planning, designing or sketching beforehand. Being spontaneous and accepting mistakes is a very important part of my creative process. Many times the best part of the painting or design comes from unforeseen “accidents”.

My inspiration comes from nature and our surroundings. I’m constantly looking for unique forms as well as for original and beautiful colors. I love finding the lines and organic shapes hidden in the landscape and I’m fascinated with the living color of nature’s palette. Color is a strong driver in my work.

I like to explore different mediums, but my watercolor paints are my favorite and the ones I use the most. I have a constant love affair with their lightness and transparency - so subtle and delicate! I like to take the motifs from my painting and use them in the design process.

How exactly does color play into your work?

Color is a strong catalyst in my work. I love using bright and bold colors. It’s a joy for me to look at colors just out of the tube when they are untouched and pristine. But, I also love how beautiful they are when messy and blended together. The interaction of forms and colors, and how they unfold on my paper or canvas, creates a visually imaginative and whimsical story.

I think one of the easiest and most powerful ways to create emotional impact and mood in a piece of artwork is through color. I love how bright tones engage and arouse, how rich natural tones soothe and relax and how pale muted tones support moderation. I really like to surround myself with happiness and I think colors in general give off a positive energy. While we see color with our eyes, we also feel it in our bodies; color is a type of emotional food. Color can be one of the most powerful ways to create emotional impact and make your day just a little bit brighter.

How did you get comfortable with color?

It took me a while to find my color palette. Back in school, I spent a lot of time mixing paints and looking for interesting colors and color combinations. I experimented with all kinds of paints and enjoyed exploring their different textures and how they all play differently with light. I learned to avoid using colors simply from a paint tube.

We had this great project when I was a student at FIT. It was a project to find suitable color combinations for our designs. First we had to find an image from a magazine with an interesting color palette. Then, by cutting out the colors and playing around with them, we finalized the color palette. Finally, we had to mix those colors using our paints. That project helped me learn how to mix colors to get that perfect hue, and what colors go into certain shades. And, if I didn’t mix enough of a certain color I learned that it was nearly impossible to remix the exact same shade of color.

Almost everyone has a favorite color. Its not something you always think about or realize, but you’re probably naturally drawn to some colors more than others. We all have preferences, we just have to find them.

Can you tell us a few fun things about you that we wouldn’t already know?

I can’t live without music. I’m constantly listening to classical music, especially when painting and designing.

Want to see more of Katalin’s work?

Using color in your work with Katalin Klecz