Meet the Maker: Koda Witsken
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Photos: Courtesy of Koda Witsken
Welcome to Meet the Maker, a series dedicated to shining a spotlight on local creators of all kinds.
Meet Nekoda "Koda" Witsken, an accomplished LGBTQ+ studio, digital, and public artist with a passion for colors that pop and a penchant for landing impactful collabs.
The inspo: Indiana-born and raised, Witsken told Axios that artistic talent runs in the family. Her grandfather, father, mother and twin brother all love making something out of nothing.
- But Witsken gives a special shoutout to Angela Fritz, a Hamilton Southeastern High School teacher she credits for her segue into professional art.
- "She made me think bigger," Witsken said. "If she hadn't handed me an 8-foot piece of wood in high school and said 'I believe you can paint this' … I wouldn't be painting buildings now."
Zoom in: Guided by the motto "best energies and bright colors," Witsken says her art blends the energy of graffiti with the color palettes of post-Impressionism and Fauvism while drawing inspiration from nature and community.
- "If you feel like you're supposed to do something, there's always a way that you can do it with the right business know-how and the right amount of passion."
What she's making now: In addition to creating a 670-square-foot mural for the Damien Center, Witsken is collaborating with the Indiana State Fair to set up selfie stations and leading an ongoing project with NTS Development to install murals at its Central Indiana rental properties.
💠Justin's thought bubble: I've got one of Witsken's murals at my apartment complex. It's rad.
Check her out: On her website, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook.
Do you know a maker we should meet? Tell us about them at [email protected].