MEET MEOW WOLF DENVER'S FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD MONSTER MAKER! BY ELISE TRIVERS Kate Major is the brilliant mind behind the otherworldly characters that roam Convergence and bring a memorable layer to the world-building within Meow Wolf Denver’s walls. A traveler might get business advice from Sleevie Nicks, pay rent to Gil Umbo, have a dance-off with Fluffy, or ring in Acana with an Eemian. We’ve heard over and over again that these moments are treasured by our travelers, so we sat down with Kate to learn more about her creative process, sustainability practices, and why she feels so lucky to do what she does. THE KATE MAJOR WAY “I just made it up,” Kate responded to being asked about a certain costuming technique. And that’s exactly in line with what we know about Kate. Though she certainly has the extensive resume and technical skills to accomplish any creative endeavor, where she really shines at Meow Wolf is her experimental approach that’s entwined with curiosity, out-of-the-box thinking, and a “roll up your sleeves and get dirty” attitude. Kate is the ultimate collaborator, working with various teams like Narrative, Ops, Events, Marketing, Exhibits, and Retail. She has a unique sparkle that she brings to every conversation, lighting up when she speaks about what she’s working on or dreaming up next. Her enthusiasm is endearingly punctuated by the fiercest fingernails, gesturing with conversation-stopper fangs — we’ve seen actual mini bones on them! Any chance to work with Kate on a project is a chance to see a true maker at work, her human form bursting with wild ideas and creative energy. Because Kate is creating brand new creatures birthed from the lore of Convergence Station, her work goes far beyond their textile attire. She’s crafting Mollusko heads cradled by tentacles, rat kings made entirely out of tails, and bulbous-headed aliens with tactile-compelling bodies. These beings are sculpted and molded into life with techniques that rarely involve sewing. One of Kate’s favorite materials to work with is liquid latex: “It’s a really interesting material because it’s like what rubber Halloween masks are made of, and once it dries, it’s super durable. So I really like to sculpt things out of tinfoil or paper or whatever, and then cover them with latex to get weird shapes — which is very not a costuming thing to do.” “I always have a plan but you really have to get your hands dirty, or at least I before I know how it’s going to play out. Because liquid latex, once it dries an gets on a fiber, it’s in there. There’s nothing that’s going to get it out. No amou soap and water, no amount of washing and drying. I’ve covered myself and some favorite pieces of clothing with liquid latex.” She also shared about Fosshape, a material that looks like felt and can be sewed like felt, but then hardens up once heat is applied to it. You can see both Fosshape and liquid latex in use next time you have a close-up encounter with Gil Umbo outside of The Gyre. TRASH TO TREASURE Kate frequently incorporates more consumer-familiar materials into her work as part of her sustainability values. While this practice originally stemmed from being a “super broke artist,” it’s now central to her inspiration process and material sourcing. “I love our sustainability practices and I try really hard to incorporate them in everything I do. Not THIS FEATURE WAS PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FLUFFY BY KATE INSIDE MEOW WOLF DENVER. PHOTO BY GLENN ROSS. TENTACLES CREATED BY KATE AT HER HOME STUDIO. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARTIST. FELT FACE MASK CREATED BY KATE AT HER HOME STUDIO. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARTIST.
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