My Power Colour Is Purple | An Interview With Katie West

Your name?

Katie West!

Your location?

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Your age?

26

How would you describe yourself as a person, currently. Who are you now, today?

Currently, I’m a person thinking and figuring things out. I imagine I’ll always be that.

What is your story?

I was born as a happy mistake, and have continued making mistakes ever since. I change my mind often, start many projects, and like to make things; even if I’m not any good at it.

Who, or what, was your first love?

Reading was my first love. I was in grade 4 when I decided I wanted to be a writer. It hasn’t exactly worked out, but there’s time for it yet.

What do you hate?

I dislike phony people, and not being able to do more. More in any sense of the word. In any context.

What more would you like to do? What does more mean to you?

I kind of have this fixation on the concept of More. I think it stems from people in my generation always being promised more in life. That if we went to school and did well, if we went to university and did well, we would be the generation to change the world. And I think a lot of us are realizing that even after we get degrees and masters degrees we’re still unable to be where we want to be, doing what we want to be doing. So now we’ve realized if we want to get what we were always promised, we are the ones who have to make it happen. I would say close to 80% of the people I know are doing what they love for themselves. Maybe I just know a lot of awesome people (which I do), but I think it’s also the outcome of growing up being told we were meant for more, and we could do anything we wanted to do. So we are, and we’re making it work. I want to do the same thing. I want to get more out of life, all the time. I guess that’s why I’m interested in everything. So, for me, more means doing what I love and getting paid for it. More means traveling to see the friends I’ve made on the internet and making things with them. More means having ideas and making them happen.

What moves you? What inspires you? What “makes you tick”?

I think what makes me tick is how I am always questioning everything all the time. I question what I do, what other people do. I want to know why people do things. I question how things work, how emotions work. I’m constantly researching random things and trying to sort out my thoughts on a myriad of subjects. And of course, those thoughts are always changing which probably frustrates people, but oh well. Trying to figure things out inspires me. As well as people who create new things all the time.

Favorite color(s)?

My power colour is purple. I wear a lot of purple. I’m also partial to orange.

What do you “do” (work etc.)?

sigh. I don’t know. I’m working on that.

What is the title of your blog?

Katie West

Why did you choose that title?

It’s my name. People often ask me if my real name is Katie West, it is. I never really thought of creating an internet alias until it was too late.

There are hundreds of thousands of blogs, what makes your blog unique?

Not really sure? I think people like the diaristic style I have with both my writing and my photos. I’m maybe too honest in many of my posts. And very erotic in many others - sometimes I do both at the same time! Ha! People like that, I think. Also, I am humourous. Or at least, that’s what Fleshbot.com said. And you should definitely trust porn sites. ALWAYS.

Do you feel that your blog has a specific purpose? Is there a specific group that you are trying to reach?

Having a blog that’s so personal is difficult because a lot of people scoff at the fact that the purpose of your blog is to share yourself. But I think a lot of people benefit from that; from both making those types of blogs, and also from reading them. Knowing other people feel the same way you do about things, have gone through the same experiences, seeing someone do the things you’ve always wanted to try - I believe this gives people inspiration, courage and comfort. Those are the reasons why I like personal, diarist blogs by artists and writers.

So I guess the purpose of my blog is to simply post things I like, and things I make, things I’m thinking about. And then from there, I just want people to enjoy it.

I want to reach people. In general. Like-minded people or people who disagree with what I think and do. Whatever. I want people to like my art, share with me their art. I’d be taking pictures and writing regardless. So having a blog to be able to share it with people, and in turn have them share stuff with me, is just lovely.

When did you start your first blog?

I started my first blog, which was a LiveJournal, probably back in 2001? Around there.

When did you start taking photos?

I started taking photos in high school. My school had a darkroom and I sort of weaseled my way into the second level photography course, so I never really learned any of the basics, I was just experimenting in order to learn.

Why did you become interested in photography?

I became interested in photography because I was modeling for a lot of my friends who were into photography. And then I realized it was an excellent way to express my teenage angst. And then I guess I just never outgrew it, instead I grew more into it.

What kind of camera do you use most of the time?

I use a Canon Digital Rebel XTi. It’s the only camera I have. Well, I have film cameras and polaroid cameras but no money for film or developing so, yeah. It’s not the greatest camera, and the lens I’m using isn’t any good, but a long time ago people told me it didn’t matter what camera you were using, it was what you did with it, so I sort of convinced myself that was true.

What do you feel the difference is between having a personal diary and a public diary? Hypothetically speaking, how would you look at your blog if you knew that people read it, but you never received any feedback or comments?

Well, I do have a blog that some people read, but I never receive any comments on or any feedback; it’s mostly where I post writing I’m working on. (Posting it helps me catch mistakes I make. Also, I guess I just like knowing I’ve purged the idea I had from my head and it’s just floating out there on the interweb somewhere.)

So I guess the difference between that blog, which is semi-personal; my secret blogs, which are very personal; and my main blog, which is public, yet personal; is mainly the level of comprehension. I guess, for me anyway. My private blog is totally nonsensical stream of conscious that is extremely insular and kinda whiney, truth be told. My public, but less well-known blog is fragments of writing I’m working on, and always editing, ever-changing and much less personal. My main blog is still very personal but I try to make it more accessible to an audience. The things I post there are things I’ve thought through and hope people will enjoy and get something out of. It’s very consciously made for public consumption.

A lot of your answers focused on the fact that you’re almost entirely interested in everything… Is there a specific thing that you want to do? If you could be known for one thing, what would it be?

I would continue doing what I’m doing; which is taking pictures, writing and then posting it all on my blog. But if I could be known for one thing…well, I was about to say I’d like to be known for my writing, as that’s just been my default answer for so long. But I don’t think I give my photography enough credit. So I’d like to be known as both a writer and a photographer. Though, of course, I believe many people already do know me as a photographer, so I guess I’ve got that covered.

I saw on your blog that you have secret blogs. If you could go back and make yourself anonymous, would you?

No, I wouldn’t. I have secret blogs because I like to clear my head, and the best way for me to do that is to write it all out, usually quite incoherently. But anonymity is never something I’ve craved.

How have your friends/family/loved ones responded to the subject matter/photos on your blog? Has it ever been a problem that your blog is not anonymous?

My family knows about what I do and are very supportive. My mother likes to tell people that I’m the most famous photographer in the world, which is sweet. My father encourages me to try to be successful at whatever I choose to do. My brother does everything in his power to avoid looking at my website, something I’m in favour of him doing. My relatives are also supportive of my work, though I’m not sure how many of them actually look at it on a regular basis. Boyfriends I’ve had have always known before hand about what I do and have never expected me to change. Sometimes I worry that I won’t get jobs I apply for if they Google my name. But then I tell myself that those are obviously the wrong jobs for me.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I would really like to own my own book publishing company. I’d also like to still be taking pictures and blogging.

You can check out her blog here,

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