Interview with Lindsay Hutchins, the artist behind Kid Lab’s Window Display
Artist Lindsay Hutchins’ approach—playful, perfectly crafted, and unique—transformed Kid Lab into a magical space over a recent November weekend, when she created a beautiful window display based on our Nov./Dec. themes: birds and winter. We interviewed Lindsay to learn about her process and what inspires her.
What was the first thing that you remember making?
For a school project, my classmates and I had to make an environment in a shoebox. I decided to use the shoebox as a mouth for a giant Venus flytrap flower. I glued giant petals on it with big eyes on top. I put the shoebox on a spoke, then planted it in foam in a pot. It was so much fun. Here’s a sketch to better show it.
Why do you do what you do?
I do what I do because I want to help the world be a better place. Spreading positive energy through illustration and graphic design is how I know best to do it!
Who was your favorite artist as a kid?
My favorite artist has always been Leonardo Da Vinci because he was one of the first artists I learned about growing up. The more I learned about Da Vinci, the more I built an appreciation for him. He loved sketching nature and had a genuine curiosity about nature. Also, I always looked up to him because he wasn’t just an amazing artist but also an inventor. He allowed his curiosity to run wild through his creativity. I love that so much.
Tell us about the process in making the window display.
First, I measured the window and put down tape on my bedroom floor to replicate the window size. I laid out enough mylar paper to cover the span of the window. I then covered the mylar with white paper and drew exactly what I wanted to put up on the window, carefully mapping out where I wanted to cut out shapes. I cut out the shapes. Then, on installation day, I put the mylar right on the window with double-sided tape.
I then went on the outside of the window, and with black Expo marker, I drew what I wanted to paint. Then, going back to the inside of the window, I painted in white what I had drawn with black Expo marker. After the sun changed or a shadow came, I had a difficult time seeing the Expo marker, but in the end the process worked out great!
About Lindsay
Lindsay is a graphic designer and a freelance illustrator in Raleigh. She works at Lenovo for the global branding team as a graphic artist and was recently named Director of Impact for AIGA Raleigh, a professional organization for design. Lindsay studied graphic design and illustration at ECU and has lived in Raleigh since graduating in 2018. Art and design, environmentalism, and community are her passions. If you see Lindsay on the street, say hello. She loves meeting new people!
To see more of Lindsay’s work, visit lindsayhutchins.com and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lmhvisuals