An Interview with Contemporary American Portrait Artist Adrianna Kinal
Words by Kimberly Haddad
Canadian-born American Fine Artist, Adrianna Kinal has a deep curiosity for fashion and infuses her eccentric creations with a medley of materials, including resin, acrylic, gold foil, neon lighting and Swarovski crystals. Establishing a personal vision of popular fashion and iconic portraiture, Kinal has developed a unique art style that challenges known stereotypes and garnered the likes of Battaglia Engelbert, Christina Ricci, Rihanna and more. Her work has been seen in local art exhibits, festivals and bookstores alike.
Gold foil, acrylic, Swarovski crystals on canvas.
Your paintings reflect cultural diversity and serve as an expression of both popular fashion and iconic portraiture. What things in the world inspire you most when it comes to creating?
I’m really inspired by street style, especially people who have a really strong sense of individualism. I admire people who stand out by using fashion as a form of expression.
Your work is vibrant and incredibly animated. How did you develop your own personal style and what techniques are you currently using?
I started my career working in fashion as a graphic designer for clothing companies as well as production in L.A. garment factories. My art style stems from those experiences. I start my portraits by painting on canvas and enhance the pieces with fashion techniques such as screen-printing, embroidery and other processes, giving my artwork life with dimension and texture. I’m continually pushing to evolve my work by incorporating new processes. For example, I recently started working with neon lighting and I like how it adds another layer of vibrancy to my work.
Where do you see your art career going in the near future? Do you have any special plans or exhibits in the works?
In the near future I see myself continuing to create portraits for people around the world as well as more commercial projects. I have an exciting art/fashion project that I’m currently working on that will debut at the beginning of next year.
Having a background in fashion design and being influenced by runway fashion shows and trends, who are some of your favorite designers and how would you describe your personal style?
Resin, acrylic, gold foil, Swarovski crystals on canvas.
At the moment, some of my favorite designers include those that have really strong points of view in their collections such as Alessandro Michele at Gucci, John Galliano at Maison Margiela, and Vivienne Westwood. I’m also a huge fan of make up artist Pat McGrath’s runway looks, which end up inspiring a lot of my work. I would describe my personal style as sleek and minimal with a mix of vintage luxe.
What has been one of your biggest accomplishments this year?
There’s been quite a few, however, I always feel honored and I see it as one of my biggest accomplishments when I’m commissioned to do a portrait for a private client.
What is your favorite thing to do when no one is looking?
Dance!
What was your favorite cartoon to watch as a child?
Inspector Gadget, Duck Tales, Looney Tunes and Babar.
If you were a new addition to a crayon box, what color would you be and why?
A gold glitter crayon. It would definitely be an exciting, fun and happy color, and a reflection of my personality!
Acrylic, paper on wood.
Tell us about one of the first things you ever painted.
Some of the first things I started painting were fashion accessories, like shoes and bags that I dreamed of owning. I also loved re-creating iconic fashion brand logos.
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