Trusting the process and becoming heroes
Meet our alumni and learn how their studies at AUArts have influenced their career paths and how they are helping shape the world of art, craft and design. AUArts Alumni Video Stories is a video series sharing life after university.
In this video, Ryan Danny Owen (BFA ‘17, Drawing) and Kat Simmers (BDes ’17, VCD) discuss their individual and collaborative projects and how attending AUArts helped shape their artistic paths. While attending AUArts, they began the book series, “Pass Me By,” which won Graphic Novel of the Year at the 2022 Book Publishers Association of Alberta (BPAA) awards.
About Kat Simmers
Kat is a trans woman, artist and author who works with comic media and street art to connect seemingly disparate worlds. Born and raised in a special kind of nowhere — Bashaw, Alberta (pop. 830) — Kat has experienced firsthand the intersection of queer and rural life.
Kat is the co-author and illustrator of the graphic novel series "Pass Me By." Their work explores identity and relationships and engages the public in conversations about queer identity, mental health and untold stories.
Learn more about Kat Simmers and their work at www.katsimmers.com
About Ryan Danny Owen
Ryan is a multifaceted non-binary artist based in Treaty 7 / Calgary, Alberta (Mohkinstsis), who expresses themselves through writing, visual art and drag performances. Their work has been exhibited across Canada and featured in various publications, such as "Stride Gallery," "Luma Quarterly" and "Raw Meat Collective."
Ryan also runs an online queer archive, "Mirrors & Windows," featuring a collection of found queer photographs from the early 50s to the late 90s.
Learn more about Ryan Danny Owen and their work at www.ryandannyowen.com