Kira Marie Britt Is A Selfless Swiss Army Artist

Kira Marie Britt has always been adventurous. She is a born-and-raised native New Yorker who lives in Ridgewood, Queens and works downtown. Britt is a filmmaker, scenic designer, community organizer and mural painter, in short a veritable Swiss Army Artist. Britt created her artistic brand called Gothic Botany which is a cross between fan art, anime, and magic. Her brand features key chains, love buttons, square prints and pillow cases ranging from $8 to $80 on her website. Kira Marie Britt’s Dead Petal Club series is the interactive part of the Gothic Botany brand where brings her work to artist markets. The series is reimagined as the Summer Spell Market.

Past Dead Petal Club events included intention wreath workshops and bud vase arrangements. She is the development communications coordinator at Downtown Community TV and runs their DOCUJAM youth film festival. Britt has taught youth storytelling to young filmmakers for ten years. She is proud to give back to NYC’s after school programs.

How did you come to be known as the “Swiss Army Artist”?

“I couldn’t identify with any kind of artistic profession. One of the students in my cohort said, ‘You’re a Swiss army knife.’ You know how they have a bunch of different tools in their belt? I branded myself as a Swiss Army Artist and was able to snag it everywhere. I wanted to make something artistically pliable.”

What is Gothic Botany?

“Gothic Botany was created as a way for me to bring my passions into one space. My personal style has always been a struggle for me ever since I was a kid. Gothic Botany is telling a story with the art that I enjoy the most. Gothic Botany moved into a real experience. I’ve been able to meet so many people and talk about my art. Even if I don’t make money doing it, I’m still enjoying the presence of others.”

Why do you host the Dead Petal Club?

“I feel passionately about everyone’s ability to create art. Whether you think it is beautiful or not, that is not the point. I don’t find myself very good at sculpture work, but that doesn’t mean I’m not an artist. The first one was a flower arranging workshop with a focus on doing still life drawings. We have so much pent up inside of us when it comes to our past traumas or our future endeavors. Art is a cathartic way to understand yourself. The people who are attending are like, ‘I haven’t held a paintbrush since I was in kindergarten!’ Everyone should hold the brush every now and then. It is who we are as people. Cavemen did it.”

Why did you decide to expand the Dead Petal Club into the Summer Spell Market?

“I’ve been selling my art for about a year now at markets all over the city. I find these markets are really wonderful places where communities can come together and meet other people and artists. There will be twenty different artists Dead Petal Club is collaborating with. It brings smiles to people’s faces. I got addicted to giving people those smiles.”

What are some special activities at the Summer Spell Market?

“You will learn how to make your own candles, pick your own fragrances, learn the holistic meanings behind some fragrances and incorporate crystals. I didn’t want this to be something where you are just going to spend money. There are multiple chill zones where you can take pictures and then play video games or board games. You can purchase everything when you are there for the candle workshop. You have to pre-register. The rest of it is free. I want this to be a community event.

How did you create your artwork for your key chains in collaboration with Melody Charms?

“I create the work on my iPad using an app called Procreate. I’ve switched more into doing digital artwork instead of the normal vibe of painting. It has been nice to just be drawing digitally for now. They manufacture them with nice big machines that can print out these beautiful acrylic images. The fire one with the little face is Calcifer from ‘Howl’s Moving Castle.’”

Why is cosplay an important part of this event?

“As someone who cosplays, it can be hard to find places. Even if you have a cloak lying at home or some garb that you don’t get to wear multiple times a year. I definitely want people to cosplay. As someone who has these things in her closet, it is so nice to pull them out and be your authentic self.”

How did you become involved with Angela of Regal Candle Bar, Patricia of Esoteric Calling, and Brittany of Village Witch Bakes?

“It has been really nice working with Angela. I linked her up with a friend of mine. Her name is Patricia. She is a resin artist. They are going to create this crystal candle workshop which should be really nice. Brittany will make gluten free and holistic products. Her witchcraft is about baking in the sense of the products she uses.”

Was there a mural experience you remember fondly?

“The one that sticks out most is the murals that I did for the Boys Club in Flushing. The boys in this program are inspired to shoot for the stars. I wanted the murals to represent Flushing as well as whoever they wanted to be. I was able to do four different walls of murals. It has movie tropes in it and a boy dreaming about writing those scripts. Every time I go back there are people who know me. They are like, ‘Do you know those murals in the basement? She painted those murals!’”

What has it been like working at the Downtown Community Television Center?

“I went back into film and applied for a full-time job at my alma matter at Downtown Community Television Center. I started working in their youth department as one of the admins, which I found to be a full circle moment since I did go to their high school programming back in 2012. It is a program for high school students. They were home for me when I was in high school. It was nice to provide my knowledge to the community of New York City.”

How was filmmaking at DCTV as a student?

“One of my graduating projects was “Evolution.” It won an editorial award for a PBS story called “Our Camera Our Stories.” It touched so many people. Young women of color identified so heavily with it that they joined the program. Filmmaking can live on beyond you just as much as art. Being a part of that program really shaped who I am today. I like to speak for myself and be strong and that came from making films that I was passionate about.”

Is your mission to create art that affects people?

“Art is meant to cause a reaction. A lot of the work that I create is centered around understanding there is joy in everything. It is so innate in our human DNA to be creative. It is nice because these are things that bring you joy and peace in times of stress.”