Artist Feature: Kavon King

by Natalie “Lee” Arneson

“I’m Kavon King (he/they), I am a sophomore here at Evergreen, and originally I am from Sacramento, California.”

CPJ: When did you first begin creating art? Was there a specific moment or event that drew you to art?

Kavon: I think 4th grade is when I started to draw everyday. I had a friend who would draw silly little characters with me in math class, which I feel was a key developmental experience for me and my relationship. It’s pretty funny because I can remember doodling in class instead of paying attention, and to this day I’m awful at any sort of math.

CPJ: What medium of art do you typically work with? Why is this your preferred medium?

Kavon: I mostly do traditional sketching and drawing, but recently I’ve been moving towards painting and digital art. Painting is something I find to be fun on my own and communally, I have so many stories behind a lot of pieces I’ve made as well.

CPJ: What would you say most inspires your art?

Kavon: I’m really inspired by music honestly. Whenever I draw I listen to some album or playlist. I mean having the right mood set is important for the creative process, and it’s kind of crazy how much an album can paint a picture in your head. A lot of my work has pretty obvious references to a lot of music. So music for sure, but I’d say I’m really inspired by a lot of cartoonists and stuff. I have a pretty goofy sense of humor so Looney Tunes and Garfield come to mind. A lot of the stuff I grew up reading and watching really influences my style in general.

CPJ: Does your identity or where you come from have a strong influence over your art? If so, in what ways?

Kavon: This is a tough one, I’d say it probably shows in ways that I don’t intend. Like I grew up without seeing snow until I was 20, so I never really drew any wintery pieces or anything like that. And I went to the coast a lot so I love water and beach themes in general. 

CPJ: What do you think of the art scene here on Evergreen campus? Do you think we have much of an art scene?

Kavon: Honestly I don’t know much about the art scene here at Evergreen, but I know some really cool artists on campus. I’d say the artists I’ve met at Evergreen all have their own flair that I feel is par for the course here. They are also all super supportive and just genuinely good people. I guess I’d say the art scene at Evergreen has a really good foundation to grow, we just need a bit of a push to get it started. Maybe some should start a club or do an event or something.

CPJ: So this is a question I like to ask all our artist features, but what does art mean to you?

Kavon: Art to me is when somebody purposely does something to express some kind of emotion or idea. Art is kind of what makes humans, humans. Like, eagles don’t paint portraits and fish don’t sing songs. I think what I’m trying to say is that I feel most human when I am creating or experiencing art. It’s almost like a way to identify with other people without ever talking to them. 

To see more of Kavon’s art follow him @j0ga2k on Instagram and Twitter!