MAKER:
Genevieve Barbee-Turner, Illustrator
NEIGHBORHOOD:
I live in the 10th Ward in Upper Lawrenceville! It's way more chill than Central (no shade) and my neighbors have lived here for generations. We look out for each other's cars when the street cleaner comes around <3
TELL US ABOUT YOUR BRAND AND WHY IT’S THE BEST:
Ki11erpancake is possessed illustrations by me, Genevieve! I use the Occult to talk about contemporary issues. I think of it like modern fables but with a touch of witchy darkness. I create decks of card (both tarot and poker), stickers, custom decals, and prints.
WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND AND THE STORY BEHIND WHY YOU STARTED KI11PANCAKE?
I came to Pittsburgh from Southeast Virginia in 2003 to attend art school at CMU and fell in love with the city. This was right before things began to visibly shift here and I watched as the neighborhoods morphed. My first job out of college was at a community center that had served people experiencing homelessness and long term mental illness for over 40 years and it opened my eyes to Pittsburgh in a way some don't see or understand. I sat in community meetings, managed a food pantry, delivered meals to seniors, and connected with so many people on their worst day. It was an education I couldn't get in school. In 2012, I began to interview--anyone--about Pittsburgh. Why they lived here, what they did, how they felt about its evolution. That became Bridge Witches: A Tarot Deck. While the deck is still my interpretation and viewpoint, I hope to expand what the definition of "yinzer" is beyond the stereotype. This is why it's updated, to add new stories and change in the way the city does.
When I am not drawing I read, A LOT. It helps me improve my own storytelling and I believe reading makes us more empathetic people. Otherwise, I volunteer at the Carnegie Library, run a figure drawing session at the Carnegie Museum of Art, and play video games with my sweet dog chilling next to me.
WHAT ONE PRODUCT DO WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AND WHY?
Bridge Witches: A Tarot Deck Volume 3. For four years I have been collecting stories about Pittsburgh for a tarot deck. Each edition I swap out 12-14 cards with different tales from the Burgh--this city is an endless well of inspiration.
IN THREE WORDS, WHY DO YOU LOVE PITTSBURGH?
Crooked haunted hills.
HOW CAN PEOPLE FIND OUT MORE ABOUT KI11ERPANCAKE?
Website: www.ki11erpancake.com
Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/ki11erpancake
IG: @ki11erpancake_illustration