Kade Bailey is one of our newest Unraveled Expert Artists and we could not be more thrilled to welcome her to the blog today! She is also an upcoming instructor for us as well! It’s not everyday you see a BOLD ARTIST – someone who is so uniquely themselves when they create, but Kade does just that. Her work is unique, compelling and tells a story with her cinematic shadow play, use of dappled light and interesting compositions. To say we love her work would be an understatement.

She is an ocean dweller at heart, having grown up on the south shore of Atlantic Canada where her passion for art began. She now resides in Alberta, Canada where she lives and works raising her three children. Kade is a curious spirit, with an endless book collection and thirst for growth, who loves to weave art, storytelling, and human experiences into all facets of life.

For more inspiration from Kade:

Instagram | Website | Facebook

Here is Kade, Unraveled…

What inspires your art?

Intimacy and light. I love the feeling of connection whether it's to another human being, a scene in a movie, a part of a book, or the way light and shadows play off each other in real life or in film.

What do you shoot with? Camera body and favorite lens?

Canon EOS R + Tamron 35mm 1.4, Canon 24mm 1.4, Sigma 85mm 1.4
I love my 35mm for indoors with a pro mist filter and prefer my 85mm for outside.

What other ways do you express your creativity?

My first art form was poetry, then painting, and now photography. I believe human beings are natural storytellers and I've always been keen to find a way to express myself through artistic measures.

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

Photography has long been the thing that fills my soul with joy. After a long day working in my career doing counselling for people with mental health and addictions, I come home to the frenzy of three beautiful busy babes, and as soon as they are tucked in for the night I head off with my camera, or curl up with a cup of tea and open Lightroom.

What kind of music do you listen to while editing?

My playlist right now is filled with Gregory Alan Isakov, Pretty Archie, Richard Inman, Anyway Gang, Billy Raffoul and old school hip hop (Where my Biggie fans at!?).

What is your favorite book?

The book I've read over and over again since Jr. High is called Listen for Rachel by Lou Kassem, during my English degree Huckleberry Finn was my favourite (I even named my son Huck), but more recently I loved Untamed by Glennon Doyle for an empowering read and The Alice Network for fiction.

Name one movie that inspires you.

The Godfather. I love gangster and crime genre films for their use of cinematic effects, light, and the way everything is understated and overdelivered.

How do you handle self-doubt or creative slumps?

I name it to tame it. I say, this is comparison and I stop there without attaching any more of a story to it. There will ALWAYS be someone better than me, more creative than me, and more successful than me, so I think, what can I learn from them and how can I celebrate them. Then I take a deep breathe and plan a creative shoot.

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

Honouring my passion when no one else really did. I work four days a week at a hospital and have three little kids, so there isn't a lot of "me time", but I knew I needed to nourish this creative part of me to keep me healthy and happy. I pushed through and paved my way when I didn't know about the online community, when I didn't know if I'd ever be any good at it, when I didn't make any money at it. I just knew I f**king loved it and that's all that mattered.

What is your favorite pizza topping?

BBQ Chicken. Done. Delicious.

What is your most favorite kind of light and why?

My favourite is Rembrandt lighting. It gives such a cinematic quality and gives interest to the subject. Flat light bores me. When I am outdoors I love the moments from sunset to blue hour, but lately I've been pushing myself to explore more harsh sun and embracing the highlights and shadows it creates.