Interview by Kori Kobayashi
Story by Desiree Cordova
“Create what you love, create what you want to see, cater to your customers and never think you know everything you need to know, there’s always more to learn,” says Santa Fe artist, Grant Kosh who has been following his dream ever since he was 5 years old.
Kosh who is now 32, was born in Colorado and raised in Santa Fe. Where he attended the College of Santa Fe and double majored in film and theater with a minor in art. He also attended the University of Hawaii for 3 years, where he studied photography, graphic design, painting, sculpture, film and writing.
“I was always airbrushing portraits for my friends and family, no matter what school I was at,” said Kosh. He started airbrushing at the age of 16, on canvas, metal, wood and skin.
Helping reveal his signature sty
le, Kosh’s most recent collection of canvas portraits include Muhammad Ali, Richard Pryor and Mexican surrealist Frida Kahlo. With a mixture of contemporary style and a unique passion for his work, Kosh is a Santa Fe favorite who proves to be a breath of fresh air for the community. With influences like Chuck Close, Sebastian Kruger, and Leonardo da Vinci it is clear that Kosh welcomes a good challenge.
Many of Grant’s most famous work could be seen in out-of-the ordinary objects such as bedroom walls, refrigerators and cars. One of his largest canvases is a 300-yard wall running along Santa Fe’s Rail Runner train tracks. As a collaboration project, Kosh worked with a Santa Fe teen center to develop exclusive artwork to display for bystanders.
Besides working with the public, Kosh benefits from his artwork by selling his work online. He’s currently in the process of growing his online presence after having to relocate his past artwork from the Atomic Grill in Santa Fe.
“The Atomic Grill was an amazing gift, they allowed me to hang my artwork in their restaurant for five years without charging me any type of percentage of a sale or rental for the space. They closed their doors in September, and now I am on the hunt for a new space to show my artwork.” Kosh, has not lost hope in finding his new space and is taking advantage of his online resources where he offers services from canvas fine art to custom automotive airbrushing.
As for now Kosh is looking toward a bright future that he hopes will land his artwork in even more cafés, restaurants, bars and galleries.
By: Desiree Cordova
