Meet McKenna Applewhite | Digital Collage Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with McKenna Applewhite and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi McKenna, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
While I had started my art Instagram account in February of 2020, it really started to become an outlet for my creativity when lockdown happened a couple of months later. Suddenly with my semester over and stuck at home, I had the opportunity to explore my own creativity in ways I never got a chance before. This led me to create a surplus amount of art and gain the support of my close friends and family. Soon, people began asking, “Do you make prints?” or “I would love a sticker of this!” It was a huge confidence boost! It kind of blew my mind a little bit that suddenly people wanted to hang my art on their walls, so little by little I began testing out different print options and opened up my Etsy shop that summer. Since then, I have been able to do commission work, sell at local markets and shops, and expand my online store.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
@PyriteGirl first started as a way to hold myself accountable for making art. I had learned Photoshop in high school from my lit mag and yearbook classes and instantly fell in love with the program. While I would make fun little creative things here and there, life always seemed to get in the way. I always had an assignment or a test to study for that it felt like I never had enough time to sit down and take art “seriously”. Then, COVID hit and suddenly I was finally allowed to give this interest a real chance. It kind of exploded from there.

Making collage art helped me through some real tough times while also allowing me to feel a sense of confidence I never really had before. I grew up being a jack-of-all-trades type. I tried every sport, every activity, but became a master of none. All my friends had their “thing” growing up and I often felt like an outsider. It wasn’t until I started really getting into graphic design in high school and then starting @PyriteGirl that I finally felt this sense of belongingness. I finally had an interest I could make my own.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Exploring Downtown Denton:

– pick up some books & records at Recycled Books
– go vintage shopping at Les Muses & Salvage Shoppe
– grab a bite to eat at one of the many food trucks at Eastside
– listen to jazz live and have a fancy cocktail at Paschalls

Exploring DFW

– grab some wellness goodies at GoEasy
– get the most Instagram-worthy coffee at La La Land
– sell & buy at Buffalo Exchange
– record hunt at Joseys & Doc’s Records
– watch a film at the Texas Theatre

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Radio Commune is a show that airs on KUZU-LP 92.9FM in Denton, TX. KUZU is a community-supported radio which means it’s completely non-profit and runs on donations. KUZU has a wide variety of different shows ranging from honky tonk to eastern bloc electronic. My favorite show on KUZU though is Radio Commune which explores music from all around the world spanning time all the way from the early 20th century. Radio Commune showcases music that is widely loved and also music that is almost unknown. The host, Jack Lundsgaarde, does an amazing job at giving a platform of all different cultures and styles for the audience to explore and listen to!

@RadioCommune (Instagram)

Website: www.etsy.com/shop/PyriteGirlArt

Instagram: @Pyritegirl