Reed Knauth is the queen of color. As the daughter of a painter and a poet, she comes from an artistic 
family in Charlotte, North Carolina, where creativity reigned supreme. Now, with roots in Atlanta, she stands out in the local art scene for her diverse skill set, from fine arts to modern design.
Reed understands the business of art. From wedding invitations and wallpaper to jewelry and web graphics, there’s little she hasn’t done. Her work is unapologetically colorful and vibrant. Much like the artist herself, Reed’s work has an energy that is palpable. She credits Creative Circus for giving her a good footing in the city. While attending its advertising program in 2012, she was one of 16 designers chosen for the Vignelli Workshop at SCAD Atlanta, an opportunity that allowed her to refine her skills and work with other talented local artists.
Reed is very intentional in her process and has sights set on making a mark in Atlanta. We talked with her about her process, designing for a major brand, and the difficulties of walking the line between designer and artist.
CommonCreativ: When did you become interested in art?
Reed Knauth: I’ve been doing art my whole life. Since I was little, I always painted. My mom is an artist. When I went to college it made sense, since I needed to pick something, to double major in art and graphic design.
CC: How did you end up in Atlanta?
RK: I went to the University of North Carolina in Asheville. That was my true calling. Small, liberal arts, no sports (I’m not a sports person). I lived there for eight years but started to get antsy. I wasn’t making any money, I was doing freelance but it wasn’t going anywhere. It’s a catch-22 — you can’t get a job without a portfolio and it’s hard to build a portfolio without a job.
I did a bunch of research and found out about this advertising school called Creative Circle here in Atlanta. I went there for two years and I’m still here!
CC: Tell me about your creative process.
RK: With art, typically I try to have a schedule where I go in [to the studio] at least once or twice a week. If I have a commission or freelance thing, I go in more. I have to get organized before I do anything. Otherwise, nothing will happen — my session will be crap. I have to print out pictures so I’ll have a loose idea of what I want to do, then I get color swatches in mind and do a bunch of sketches. After that I have to loosen up my hand, so I get ink and a brush and write phrases and quotes for about 15 minutes. If I don’t do that, I just feel nervous and tense.
When I start to do the piece, my color palette never really reflects what I’m supposed to do. I always end up doing something different because I like to pick colors as I paint. Sometimes I’ll go back and keep adding or throw it away. Not much different for my design work. I’m a web designer for The Home Depot. For that, I love layouts. I sketch and try out different ways to do a layout. But it’s all about getting organized first.
Artist Reed Knauth
CC: Is it difficult to move between the mindsets of designer and artist?
RK: It’s tough when you have two fields. But it’s also a really big relief to get off work and paint. I don’t have to think about anything, there are no ground rules. [They] are two totally different worlds. I value my art too much and I don’t want to not do it because my brain is tired from doing only one thing all day. Part of what keeps me from pursuing art full time is the fear that it won’t be fun anymore, and that would break my heart.
It does come in handy, though, being a graphic designer definitely helps when I work on wedding invitations or branding. It helps to be able to see things from two sides.
CC: When did you start working with plants and flowers as subjects?
RK: I’ve always done that. When I was 12, I started doing replicas of Georgia O’Keeffe’s work. I used acrylics to capture the details of the colors. I just became obsessed with flowers and leaves at that point. Her work really propelled my interest.
I’ve always wanted to be a florist but my life never went down that road, so I think painting flowers is a way to get to do that. I also love painting the human body — the female form is my favorite. I love organic shapes, so flowers, nature, [it] feels organic and feminine. My work is pretty feminine in general. Sometimes I like to paint on black paper. I like the boldness of it. Being a graphic designer draws me to that very graphic contrast in art.
CC: What kind of freelance work have you done?
RK: I’ve done some projects with Amanda Nolte (@theimpressionistATL). I’ll do a bunch of [pieces] and scan them to her and she’ll turn them into invites or envelopes. When she does the letterpress work, it’s gorgeous. It’s really multifaceted because she can change the use and put it in different things. I also like to do patterns and use them for things like backpacks and wallpaper.
My goal is to go into textile design and create patterns for big companies to use in a variety of objects. I think creating patterns could lead to work on a larger scale. I don’t know that my florals would go very far as just art. I want to make a dent in the field, and that requires focus.
CC: How do you promote yourself?
RK: I love using Instagram but I’m very bad at it. I need to create more content but I don’t like to put up “blah” things. I think it’s also important to show your process for other artists. I’m trying to get better at that. I have a hard time promoting myself. Do you say, “Oh hey, look at me!”? Other than that, my website and references.
CC: What inspires you?
RK: Color is really important to me. For me to be inspired, I need to feel something. I love walking, seeing flowers, or even just having a small interaction. I do a lot of research online too. I have a ridiculous amount of reference art. It inspires me to do work when I find artists that I obsess over.
CC: What do you think of Atlanta’s art scene?
RK: I love it! It’s one of the reasons I’m still here. The only negative is that it’s hard to find. Like it’s a secret. Let’s promote it more! I have to dig hard to find local artists and galleries. It’s an odd, exclusive club. Sometimes if you follow galleries on Instagram, you can find out about shows. But it’s tough.
CC: What keeps you in Atlanta?
RK: There are endless about of connections and people to learn from. I love that. In other places, you can’t find that. There’s always something going on. I like being able to walk around and see murals.
CC: What do you have in the works right now?
RK: I finished some cool packaging for an ice cream brand that will be released next month in national groceries stores and everything, so that’s pretty exciting. Right now I’m trying to work on a lot of different collaborations with other artists. I want to set up some kind of show. I also have ongoing projects with Amanda. My next goal is to paint large-scale canvases that I can rent out to photo booths and parties. I’m trying to strategize different ways to use my art. Through my day job at The Home Depot, I’m getting to do stuff with their new decor line. I’m having a lot of fun!
See more of Reed’s work on her portfolio site and Instagram.
