Women Who Rock! An Interview with Kari Byron

It's time once again for my series, Women Who Rock. I recently spoke with Kari Byron. You might know her as the funky, intelligent red-head from the hit show Myth Busters. I wanted to pick Kari's brain a bit about her fine art so sit back, relax, and enjoy my interview with Kari!


Hi Kari! Many people know you from the hit show Myth Busters but may not know that you’re also a fine artist and that you have exhibited your work in many shows in the San Francisco area. What is your earliest memory of making art and did you always know you wanted to be an artist?

My dad always encouraged me to draw as a kid. If I was sad, happy, excited, scared; he told me to draw it. I have a funny collection of self-portraits where I am crying. I drew them when I was about 4 years old. Since that is about the time when my little sister was born, I guess I was jealous.

I distinctly remember making skulls out Cheerios boxes and tape, dolls out of old pantyhose, and a rocket ship from a refrigerator box. I was always making something.

So becoming an artist was inevitable for you. But I imagine you were probably a very curious, inquisitive little kid.

I set up all sorts of experiments. One time my dad caught me dropping dolls down a laundry shoot onto a pile of pillows. My sister was the next step. She was usually my crash test dummy.


Hopefully she's gotten over that! But I can see how that eventually played into your use of found objects in your art.

I think I am just better at sculpting than drawing or painting. I can make a 3-D representation easier than I can draw anything.

Found objects are just a vestige of the job on Mythbusters. We are always in junkyards and places that are full of rusty, cool, and Wabi-sabi kind of relics. I am a collector. It drives my husband crazy. I have boxes of beautiful useless stuff.

But you've made good use of lots of it! How big do you normally work?
Most of my sculptures are small. I like working in a manageable space where I can see the whole idea at once. I quarantine immense concepts into a small imaginary box .

My favorite from your portrait series is “Sitting”. The figure is very androgynous, and it’s a haunting piece. I also noticed that many of your figures don’t have legs, or the figures are melded together. It leaves me with a sense that these people are trapped, possibly by their hardships and experiences. There's a real sensitivity towards your subjects. Do you find yourself holding back, wanting to reveal more? Do you worry that you might be revealing too much of yourself in the process?

I don’t really think about anyone looking at a finished product or revealing myself. I just make things and they are what they are.

Your dolls with painted hearts are very moving, in my opinion. There’s a lot of soul in them. How do you think you achieve that? Is it something conscious, say for example, the choosing of specific materials?

I choose materials that are recycled. I just like that “used” aesthetic. Thanks for the compliment. I am not good with them. Maybe you are the one with soul since that is how you read it.

Thank you for the complement. How do you choose your subjects for your portraits? Do you have plans to continue the series?

Lately I like subjects that have story to their faces. Beautiful, young people are boring. I am mostly making dolls that portrait homeless, criminals, and elderly people.

I understand what you mean about finding beauty in faces that may not be classically beautiful but have character, a story to tell. Speaking of characters, I have to ask about Mythbusters. What has been your favorite myth so far.

We have done about 150 episodes and over 500 myths. It is so hard to pick. I always loved the “Exploding Pants” episode. The story was so absurd and totally true. By 1933, 6 people in New Zealand had died from their pants spontaneously exploding into flames. The culprit was fertilizer and all the victims were farmers. I guess I just loved that it was actually true.

How about your least favorite myth?

My least favorite are the episodes where I handle raw meat or things that make me want to vomit. The guys tend to take advantage of my delicate stomach.

How was it for you to transition from behind the scenes person working at M5 Industries (where much of the show is now taped) to and up front and center on what has become a hugely successful television show?

It was really hard at first. I hated hearing my voice and seeing how goofy I really look on the show. After a while I just started to forget the camera was there. These days I try to cut myself a little slack as far as the self-criticism goes. It is fun to watch and re-live the crazy experiments we do. It is almost like watching a home movie.

Getting back to your art, do you see your art evolving in the future, especially now as you’re about to become a mother for the first time? And congratulations on that, by the way! Do you plan to keep making new pieces?

Someday soon. I am waiting to see what this whole baby thing is about first. This is my first kid so I have no idea what to expect. Art is just part of my life. I am married to an amazing artist that inspires me everyday. I might not always show it but I will always make it.

If someone wants to purchase or commission a piece from you, how can they contact you?

Right now I am on a break from all that but I will be back in the game soon. It is never hard to get a hold of me on the net. I have a terribly outdated website where you can reach me.

Thank you for chatting with me, Kari.

If you would like to see Kari's fine art, please visit her web site at: www.karibyron.com
And check your local listings to watch Kari on Myth Busters!

Want to meet about other Women Who Rock? Check out my interviews with:
Art Licensing Expert Tara Reed (July 2009)
Illustrator and Poppets™ creator Claudia Hellmuth (June2009)