Photo By Tech. Sgt. Richard Mekkri | U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kaylan Short, the non-commissioned officer in charge of...... read more read more
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On the shore of Lake Champlain in upstate New York, close to the Canadian border, lives an artist in an unassuming suburban home. Inside the home, however, lives a collection of art and artifacts that are anything but unassuming.
Curiosities and oddities adorn the shelves and walls inside the home of U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kaylan Short, a non-commissioned officer in charge of intelligence execution for the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard. From fetal pig skeletons to a cicada eternalized in amber, these are but a few of the marvels that inspire Short’s artwork.
“I developed an interest in art when I was 15 as a means to express myself in a way I couldn’t with words.” said Short. “I started off with graphite pencil and paper. I'm left handed. So I didn't really like that so much because I was just smearing everything.”
From there, Short discovered pen and ink design before experimenting with markers to create art. Ultimately, she settled on the medium she uses today—acrylic paint.
“With acrylics, they, they dry a lot faster,” said Short. “When you want them to, and you could just easily blend two paint colors together and then put it on the canvas. And if you mess up, you can just paint right over it or use a little bit of water with oil though.”
Short’s client base has primarily been her co-workers at the Vermont Air National Guard. Recently, she was commissioned to created eight pieces based on Edvard Munch’s 1893 work, The Scream, after seeing an article in a local paper.
“My inspiration comes from other artists who create dark art and cosmic horror,” said Short.
Short says that cosmic horror is a sub-genre of horror fiction that emphasis the horror of the unknowable and incomprehensible. It’s more about psychological horror than gore or other elements that are meant so shock. Created by the American author H.P. Lovecraft, cosmic horror blends elements of horror and science fiction together.
This inspiration goes further than creating art for others. It has also influenced her choice of permanent artwork on herself—in the form of tattoos. She’s up to 54, with plans to add more. The motivation for her body ink is also inspired by the macabre; from the stories of Lovecraft, Poe, and Stephen King. So much so that she dedicated her entire back, as canvas, in homage to two two of the authors.
“Oh god, it’s it's a whole mashup of the two,” said Short. “I have Lovecraft on one side and Poe on the other and they're about all their story references.
Insects also feature prominently on her skin art. And not just any insects but a pun mashup of insects and horror movie villains. Her…killer bug collection.
“I have the Texas Beetle Massacre, there’s Snail-ien vs. Predapillar.” I’ve got Jigsaw, Hannibal Lector, Mike Myers. I have [Ghostface from] Scream and you can see the little knives in there and his wings. He's a cicada because they're constantly yelling.”
The killer bugs may illicit laughter from some while drawing groans or eye rolls from others, but Short hopes to one day use her art to connect to others in a healing way.
“When I retire, I want to be a modern-day Bob Ross,” says Short. “I’m going to teach art therapy when I get out [of the Air Force].”
She has 10 more years until that happens. So, until then, Short will continue making art for herself. And, she said, she still has plenty of room left on her skin that needs ink.
| Date Taken: | 12.07.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 12.07.2023 15:47 |
| Story ID: | 459394 |
| Location: | SOUTH BURLINGTON, VERMONT, US |
| Web Views: | 570 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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