We recently had the chance to connect with Katie Marks and have shared our conversation below.
Katie, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I start my work day at 10am, but am usually up by 7:30. I enjoy a slow start to the day, setting my intentions and going over what I need to accomplish. Processing into my brain as early as possible that the day has a ton of time to accomplish what I need if I manage my time well is very important. This includes any form of self-care or spending time with my loved ones, which is equally as important as anything “productive” I have to get finished.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Katie Ann Marks, and I am currently known as a mixed-media animator and sound designer based in Richmond, KY. Historically, I have specialized in music videos, but recently I have dove into creating my own story to share with the world in the form of an animated series. It’s taken far longer than I’ve cared to, but in the mean time my video for “California Highway 99” by The Softies has been in the festival circuit, along with my short film “Distracted” being in consideration. I’ve been lucky to have screenings all over the country and understand how to use my skills in ways I never thought to. What makes me unique is I do all of the work myself on the visual side of things: the artwork, puppet construction, digital backgrounds, shooting, editing, and any additional sound design. I’m really lucky to get to do what I love and have the opportunities I’ve had.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
My grandfather. Everything I know about work ethic, self-reflection, and making the most of my curiosity came from him. Any technical knowledge I have has been from satiating curiosity about how something worked and applying it when needed.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Every morning for a long time. Between health issues, uncertainty with my career, then having to pivot my life to a whole new identity pretty rapidly, I just wanted to report to a mind-numbing job and rot in front of the TV. Luckily. the job sucked more than a whole lifetime of existential ambiguity, and I ran out of shows to watch. Moving to Kentucky helped me to find a new groove and I’ve been going ever since.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
Privilege doesn’t exist. While there’s always the “hard work” component, there’s a degree of luck or some kind of privilege that helps bridge the gap to success. If it was solely about hard work, then there would be the existence of rich donkeys.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I am traveling and experiencing something new. The past few years have been packed with traveling for work and family, so I have gotten to absorb a lot of different ways of life. Sometimes, I need a reminder of how much bigger the world is outside of the life I live every day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.katieannmarks.gay
- Instagram: I_am_katie_marks
Image Credits
Personal image: Jay Rosemary
