Unraveled Expert Artist Interview | Kelley Lotosky, Unraveled

We are thrilled to introduce you all to Kelley Lotosky today, one of our latest Unraveled Expert Artists. She is a storyteller whose work is free-spirited and deeply rooted in nature. To say she is a loyal and wonderful member of our community would be an understatement. Her presence is cherished here at UA. Kelley is hope-a-holic, re-covering people pleaser and artist combining multiple talents in her daily life. She is a mom to two wild boys and is grounded by her husband that holds space for their whole family to play in Northern California. When she isn’t photographing, she can be found co-designing parks with local communities, hunting through flea markets, rearranging her house or just hiking in the hills with her kiddos. Most weekends you will find them all packed up and heading out on another trip to slowly see and experience the whole world… beware she is likely to hug you and overshare immediately when meeting you.

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Here is Kelley, Unraveled…

What inspired your art?

Nature – the colors, textures, movement, playfulness of it all. How it is constantly changing and how we are changing with it. I consider us humans with all our emotions part of that. I love the variety and a little bit of chaos. I find myself asking “where is the madness” if a person is staying in one pose for too long. When creating I’m always thinking of a book layout… how will a busy blurry photo next to a really simple shadow outline look? Will their story change each other?

What other ways do you express your creativity?

Art dabbling, doodling, painting, floral arranging, rearranging my home, tarot reading, anything woo-woo, ceramics, random DIYs. I also have another career doing community outreach for park projects where we design logos/websites/events and that feels creative in a different way.

How do you de-stress at the end of the day?

I love a good bath with salts and meditation (this does not happen daily) Reading books with my kids at tuck-in time when we all fall asleep together is my favorite and what I miss most when I travel.

What kind of music do you listen to while editing?

I mostly listen to audiobooks and podcasts when editing. Oprah's Super Soul Sunday is a great one. I LOVE music and always listen to my “walk-on” playlist any time I’m going into a shoot, public meeting, event, etc. that I want to feel and be “Fully On”. If you see me car dancing when you arrive… it’s just me getting into peak state. Join me.

What is your favorite book?

I can’t possibly pick one. For interactive – The Artist Way Forr standing in my power - anything by Brene Brown For the seeker in me – The Untethered Soul

Name one movie that inspires you.

Man, I’m too indecisive for this. I’m going to say Inside Out because I try to trick my kids into watching it often.

What has been the most difficult part of your creative journey?

Acknowledging its importance and giving it time and space in my life. I decided to try to move photography from a hobby to a career when I just had my second baby and was working full time at our family landscape architecture company. From all aspects I looked nuts making this leap – I had the perfect job (awesome co-workers, purpose-driven work making the world a better place and got to see my family every day) What people didn’t see was that having all 4 of us family members, full of love and the best intentions, had very different view of how that company should be run. We were fighting every day. Forcing smiles when we saw each in an out of work. I was crying at home every night. It was tearing us apart. I was deeply afraid to tell them I was going to try something else because this had been the plan for a decade and I would be letting them down... But I was more afraid of what would happen if I didn’t. I went part-time at work and grew my photography business in the other hours (while also trying to be home with my kids more - superwoman syndrome). I was also terrified making this hobby that brought me joy would lose all of it’s magic if I needed it for the income… but man when I showed up to a session every time I was so damn grateful to be doing it. It was my life raft saving me and my family in turn.

Who is one of your favorite photographers?

Soooo many! Top of the list Yan Palmer and Stormy Solis. But I find I learn so much from so many people… and my original favorite was Ansel Adams growing up... but then I wanted to add people to the landscape.

How do you handle selfdoubt or creative slumps?

I try a lot of things around self-acceptance… and I am still learning. Just when I think I master something, it shows up in a new way… (I learned to say “ah, a worthy opponent” at a recent Tony Robbins event when my inner critic pop ups.)That inner critic is a pesky one and way harder one me than any external force I’ve encountered. Most recently I try to get curious and ask questions – What am I afraid will happen? Is that true? Would it hurt worse if I didn’t try? What if this was easy? What do I need right now? Is this my best right now? Why am I resisting? I do my best to use a kind voice I would use when problem-solving with my sons. I try to give myself grace and patience. If I have to show up and do the job and I’m not 100% inspired - I hunt for an exciting element to add even if it's just in the parking lot before the clients arrive. I look for a spark - a feather pointing a direction, the moss on a rock in a neat color, leaves in heart shapes... if you have more time, I love adding flowers and shop the day before to anchor in the tone and colors of the session to match the client, I have a “prop area” in my garage and try to pull items to shoot through/include/paint on someone and that can normally pull me in to get it done. I try not to repeat for a while so I don't burn out on anything. Clients always love that there is some crazy idea I’m dying to try at the end…

What is your favorite course or lesson at unraveled?

the one I revisited time and again was the “taking care of business” It saved me so much brain drain on making this a real business.

What is your favorite pizza topping?

Tomatoes and artichokes hearts

What is your most favorite kind of light and why?

Backlighting because it can give an angelic glow and feels mystical to me.