Curious About Illustrator Nicole Kang Ahn?
The Curious Cardinal, a brand new animated short that is part of the 10th Anniversary Kathy & Ken Bernhardt Theatre for the Very Young Season, is now available to stream. This week we sat down with illustrator Nicole Kang to learn more about her creative process bringing our little cardinal CC to life.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Nicole Kang and I am the character and background designer for The Curious Cardinal. Nearly 9 years ago, I worked at Alliance Theatre Education. In my time at Alliance, I gained a deep appreciation and understanding for performing arts. It has helped inform my identity as an artist and reiterated the importance of storytelling. As a working artist, I specialize in portraits of people and pets, murals, and digital illustrations. I'm always open to learning and taking on new artistic endeavors!
How did you get involved with this project?
As a first-time mom, I sought a new way to be creative by dipping my toes in digital illustration. After months of practice, I shared with Chris Moses, Dan Reardon Director of Education & Associate Artistic Director, that I've been teaching myself to create digital illustrations. And a few weeks after that conversation, he called to ask me if I wanted to design characters for a project with the Fernbank Museum. I accepted without hesitation — it's always been my dream to illustrate characters!
What is your favorite part of the story?
I love watching CC's relationship with the other animals. Each encounter is so different from one another, some more meaningful than others. I especially enjoyed CC's friendship with the river otter. By making a new friend, he got to see what life was like underwater! What a great thing it is to have friends who broaden our world.
You are recently a new mother. How did having a little one at home influence your work on The Curious Cardinal?
As I was illustrating the characters, I wondered how my child would react to each one. I asked myself questions like "What features of this creature stand out to a baby?" It allowed me to be playful and focus on having fun, rather than being perfect. I tapped into what I imagined was the personality of each animal. For example, the hawk is confident and strong so there is a boldness in its shape and colors.
What will audiences love about The Curious Cardinal?
Viewers will love CC and his perspective of seeing the world for the very first time. CC is full of curiosity, wonderment, and excitement. And shouldn't we all be that way?
