You're a photographer and an artist with an eye for fashion.  How does photography and fashion sense help you as an artist?

When I was in final year at uni I decided to do my first illustration paper and my teacher said he could tell that I'd done photography ... I didn't really know why that was, but I'd say that photography helped when it came to visualising lighting. I guess after playing in the studio for four years it gave me a good understanding of how shadows work, so when it came to creating scenes as prescribed by the paper I could imagine how the light would fall and it was really helpful. I don't really create scenes as such anymore... but I'm sure it's helping me in ways I don't realise.

Can fashion be art?

Yes definitely!  I think they cross over in many areas and it really comes down to the viewer. More and more designers are getting artists involved with their textiles.  I've seen amazing illustrations on recent Miu miu and Chloe had some very cool art-inspired prints.  Some fashion is so abstract that it really does go beyond fashion and become an art piece you'd almost want to display as you would a painting. I'm doing a collaboration with a NZ designer for her next summer 09/10 range so I'm really excited to see if my art can be fashion too!

What kind of personalities do the women in your drawings have?  What is the Kelly Girl like?

Hehe The Kelly Girl , hmm well the ladies I draw are just beginning to embrace their sexuality, or have embraced it and are curious. They are confident, attractive and at times confronting. They like to watch you.

If you could do a commissioned portrait of anyone - who would it be?

Nobody ever asks me for commissions!! Waaa!! So I'm tempted to say anyone!  But if I could choose a famous person it would be Natalie Portman, she can say so much with her eyes and would be a fantastic subject. Who else looks that hot bald?

I love your illustrative work that combines photography and drawing!  What do you enjoy about doing this?

Its not something I've done for a while and initially I did it because I wanted to do a drawing but also wanted to take a photo, so I whacked them together. I enjoy the fact that you can almost take the photo into a whole new world that has no boundaries. It's something that I would love to play with again soon as I feel I need to loosen up with it a bit more and get a bit more playful.

New Zealand breeds pretty awesome creative minds.  What is it about NZ that helps breed such a creative community?

Hmm, maybe it's because we are so far away! We don't have the same amount of visual stimulation everywhere, and sometimes I think that it's almost a positive as we are not so influenced by all the cool shit and we just make it up our own way.... I do think that as a whole we need to be more balls-y though. I'm the first to admit I hold back with my work and I think it's a NZ thing, there are lots of amazing amazing creatives here - we just need a push and some confidence to get out.

Who are your favourite fellow NZ artists and designers of the moment?

Grahame Sydney was always an artist I loved when I was younger he creates amazing landscapes and his figure studies are spectacular. He's one of the famous NZ artists so I don't really see him as a fellow artist - he's on a whole different level! Hehe. My pal Enu paints beautiful Maori portraits in Auckland and he's an awesome guy too.
 
Hmmm designers, I'm about to do a colab with a fantastic new brand based in Napier called Salasai and I'm super excited about that, she is heaps of fun. There is also a small label called Miss Crabb who I always buy things from when I head to Auckland - she makes the most beautiful silk drapey dresses and I still get comments on this fantastic candy cane stripe sleeveless shirt dress I got from her about 4 years ago.... everyone should visit her shop so she makes enough money to open a shop in Wellington!
 
What are you listening to?

Well right now there is this funny ad on the radio about premature ejaculation and sorting it out before your girlfriend dumps you haha!

What are you snacking on?

Pretty much everything at the moment! My boyfriend is a lover of fine food and I swear he's fattening me up for Christmas dinner .... also salt and vinegar chips, hmmmm I can't get enough!

Plans for the summer?

Well I was going to the beach and was super pumped as I've just got an underwater camera ...... but I just found out last week I'm heading to Europe for two weeks. Eeeeek! That day was the most exciting day of my life! I cried like a big geek.... so for summer I'm doing winter....which is kinda against my religion.....but I'll get over it, I'm sure.

Check out some of Kelly's work in our image gallery above. You can also hit up her website for more.