Art, Ink and Imagination: A Look into the World of a Florida Native Small-Batch Printmaker.

Kaila Kolbeck, artist and founder of Pili Art Studio - a small-batch fine art, printmaking, photo and small goods studio based in Atlantic Beach, FL is a Florida native with twenty-seven years of experience as a practicing artist exploring various mediums from painting, photography, and mixed media. Influenced by her experiences of growing up on the Atlantic coast and living in Southern California, Kaila found Pili Art Studio in 2018, and specializes in crafting limited edition and one-of-a-kind print pieces.

Pili (pee-lee) is an Hawaiian word, meaning bonded together or connected, and Kaila’s art underlies this theme of being connected to nature, with relief printing art pieces that draw inspiration from coastal elements, island botanicals and the topical flora found in Florida’s subtropical and tropical climates. With 1,350 miles of coastline and lush vegetation, Florida has much to draw inspiration from.

Kaila has been my sister’s best friend since elementary school, and as far as I can remember has been a creative soul that has never lost sight of her innate desire to create art that celebrates the beauty of nature. Whether harnessing the power of the ocean and surfing, or working as a dolphin caretaker at Marineland’s Dolphin Conservation Center in St. Augustine, FL, Kaila’s connection to the ocean and the connection to the human desire to create has been unwavering.

When I started Revel in 2020, Kaila had been working as a freelance designer and I reached out to her to design my brand and website, and with little direction Revel’s typography, colors and logo were brought to life. While our mediums of artistic expression vary, Kaila is a kindred spirit and has a love for design, art and objects that tell a story. Working with people that are on the same frequency always helps when you want to bring a vision to life.

I had the honor to interview Kaila and give you a bit of insight into her creative process, her personal design aesthetic, and her take on integrating art into a home while maintaining a cohesive design.

What do you want people to know about you: Your life, your future goals, what drives you, your personal background?

I am a mother of two beautiful children and a wife to a pretty awesome husband. I work full time as a graphic designer—for which I’ve practiced now for ten years. Art has been a huge part of my soul for as long as I remember. I have practiced many disciplines and currently focus primarily on relief printing and photography; with the occasional painting or two when I feel it. My family, mostly my children drive me to keep moving forward. I want to be an inspiration for them to follow the desires that fall into their hearts. My hopes for the future are that I’m able to overcome my fears and put myself and my art all the way out there—no holding back! I’ve had a couple of really huge ideas that I want to see to fruition. The more connections I make through markets and friends the more I feel motivated to get it all done! 

Your studio focuses on small-batch fine art and printmaking that is inspired by coastal and floral elements. What drew you to explore these themes within your work?

I grew up at the beach. It’s a place that always has and always will captivate, calm and heal me. I have a particular magnetism to the sounds of the waves, the grains of the sand and the warmth of a summer evening breeze. Some people are born of the mountains or the desert or the snow, but I was born of the sea. Flowers on the other hand are a new found obsession—although, the first photograph I took was of a seemingly perfect yellow hibiscus—it wasn’t until fairly recently that I looked closer at the delicate nature of blooms and how they compare to the soul of an artist. 

“I was born of the sea”

Can you walk us through your typical creative process, from the initial spark of an idea to the final piece? How does your environment influence this journey?

Oh man, I’d love to say I have a smooth creative process, but I’m more of an all over the place artist! At any given time I have a handful of projects in progress. I sometimes wish I would just start one and see it through then start the next and so on. My ideas come like floods so I start what feels like a million pieces in order not to forget. 

My inspiration comes from the environments I’ve experienced. I snap photos all the time, everywhere I go! I log them as reference and keep a library to pull ideas from. I also collect things—shells, flowers, random objects and I also enjoy collecting old art books from all over the world to see how others view and interpret their lives and their environments. The way I see it, being an artist comes with a different sense of things, a deeper ‘feeling’ of the world around us. 

When I start a piece, I start with a sketch, modify it over a few days to get it just right, and then stare at it for a few more days contemplating if it is just right (lol)! After regaining my confidence, I transfer my drawing to a linoleum block and begin carving. Sometimes I test print, more often I don’t. My style is unrefined, much like the inspiration I pull from—always changing, weathered and worn. I’m drawn to things one of a kind, things with soul and character. Things that are old and have had many more lives than me. Things that tell a story. 

“Being an artist comes with a different sense of things, a deeper ‘feeling’ of the world around us”

I hold the belief that your home is your larger body and those that are drawn to interior design emphasize decorating their “larger body” to mirror their inner world. How would you describe your personal aesthetic and how do you design your home to reflect your individuality, your art, and your life experiences?

First, I want to compliment you on that belief, since helping you with your branding, I have always loved your insight and how you brought words to a feeling I very much connect with about my home and my art even. 

I’m not fully versed on all the interior design terminology but I’d like to label my style as earthy, worldly and calm. I prefer natural color palettes and a tidy space. I’m very much into the wabi sabi aesthetic but like I said above, I enjoy collecting things and so I am no minimalist but I do arrange in a very orderly and low clutter type of way. I have recently also been studying feng shui and I’ve learned more about the balance and placement of things and so I’ve been working on planning out our home in accordance to the things I agree and feel drawn to in that practice. I’ve always had an innate sense of where things should go and how to arrange items for the best flow and feelings—so learning more about Feng Shui has me so excited to design my home in an intentional and creative way.

What are some of your favorite pieces in your home and how/where did you source these? Do you have any recommendations for other vintage shops that you have come across that you would like to share?

Oh gosh, I don’t know where to begin. I’d say my favorite piece right now are my kudu horns. I saw a pair on a trip to North Carolina and had to have them. Something about their shape, decay, rawness and texture instantly called out to me. 

I generally source items on trips or online. I’ve been a repeat customer to Revel and recently found a shop in San Marco called Shop Temporium and completely fell in love! I landed a few amazing, vintage Japanese art books and prints and have my eye set on a few other things to grab next time I’m in if it’s meant to be!

As I mentioned earlier, I recently started to collect old books, partly for decor but also for learning, reference and inspiration. I like to visit used book stores and an online used retailer ThriftBooks. I have found so many beautiful coffee table style books at incredible prices. 

When sourcing materials or inspiration for your artwork, do you find yourself drawn to specific eras or styles? What about those periods appeals to you?

Anything raw, natural and elemental immediately captures my attention. I find myself time and time again drawn to the impressionistic style equally as much as I’m drawn to realism. I think I’m just so inspired and in awe of how talented people can be. It’s such a beautiful thing to appreciate art and then to realize that people like you and me are the life behind such masterpieces. 

What advice would you give to someone looking to integrate more art into their living spaces while maintaining a cohesive design?

As you say your belief is that our homes are our larger body, I believe our walls deserve to tell our stories. One of the biggest reasons I adore selling at my markets is getting to hear the stories people tell me on how they feel connected to pieces I have created. My customers share some of the most unexpected connections and this keep me creating and coming back to hear and connect more. 

Your home is your canvas. Look for art that reminds you of memories that matter the most. Find pieces that inspire your future self, pieces that spark thoughts you want to feel daily. Place them in the areas you want to feel those feelings. Energy and life in living areas. Beauty and zen in a bathroom. Calm and relaxation in bedroom. Inspiration and wonder in creative spaces. Powerful and confident pieces in a work space. Don’t be shy, be you in your home. 

“Your home is your canvas”

If someone is interested in seeing your portfolio of work or purchasing an art piece, how can they connect with you?

I am easily reachable through my Instagram, @piliartstudio, or my website, pilistudio.com. I’m in the middle of setting up my online shop and currently sell in person at local markets. I’ll be at the Florida Bohemian Festival on October 13 in St. Augustine and I’ve got a pop up on November 21 at Palmetto in Neptune Beach 

Link to Shop Temporium: https://www.instagram.com/shop.temporium

Link to ThrifBooks: https://www.thriftbooks.com/