Artist Q & A: Tat Frederick
In a world inundated with constant allusions and delusions, the artist Tat Frederick pulls her inspiration from the understated wacky and weird details that are present in every day life. Tat has been executing her Scout-exclusive visions for years, working with other studio artists to bring her unique perspectives to life. Curious to know more about this artistic enigma? The Scoutpack is here to give you a glimpse into the inner-workings of Tat Frederick.
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WHERE DOES YOUR CREATIVE INSPIRATION COME FROM?
The inspo behind Chair Craze
Anywhere and everywhere! I love to leave the ordinary world behind with my pieces by experimenting with different materials (from bottle caps to markers). Sometimes I’m inspired by something monumental and other times simple things like a cow dog on a flatbed truck gets my wheels turning!
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HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE?
Unorthodox, curious, and playful.
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WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PIECE IN THE TAT FREDERICK COLLECTION AND WHY?
I love The Swimming Man with Bubblegum Triptych because it took many revisions to get it just right. It is composed of more than 3500 push pins, and it definitely makes a statement.
The 'Fuck It' Series speaks to me because it came to life at the beginning of COVID when everything was so uncertain. I wrote the words on a piece of paper and later had the vision to make the collage. My handwriting is laser cut, painted and chaotically arranged inside the shadowbox. Every "i" is dotted by hand and no two pieces are exactly alike.
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WE HAVE BEEN OBSESSED WITH YOUR LATEST CREATIONS. COULD YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT 'THE SWEET TOOTH PETITE' COLLECTION AND 'STITCHED EYE' SERIES?
The Sprinkle Collection began with 'Life Used to Be So Hard', a happy piece with the phrase spelled out in rainbow sprinkles and a blue sky background. The idea came to me while I was bathing my newborn and toddler one night and life had Never. Been. So. Hard. The colorful rainbow sprinkles were an outlet for me and the series was born. The bears took a lot of tweaking to get just right, but they are sure to make any space a little more cheerful! The sprinkles are made from tiny pieces of hand-rolled clay and the bear inside is Styrofoam.
With the 'Stitched Eye' Series, I love vintage sketches, anatomy posters and silk thread. This felt like a fun way to combine all three elements! The series is comprised of prints of vintage sketches with embroidery thread stitched on top.
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WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN THE WORKS CURRENTLY?
I shopped the Round Top Antique Show this Fall where inspiration abounds. I found a vintage tuxedo advertisement with a mechanism inside that allowed sections of the artwork to spin in circles. The element of motion got my wheels turning and I'm excited to incorporate a similar element in an upcoming series. I've also been drawn to the illusion and juxtaposition that comes with lenticular design. I have been working to bring some visions in this style to life. Stay tuned - there's lots of exciting and unique things in the works for release next year! Life is short, let's have some fun!
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