Kat Balistreri

2026 Artist Series

Kat Balistreri

Kat Balistreri (she/her) is a Portland-based freelance illustrator and textile artist working under the name Wildkat Studio. Known for her colorful, playful aesthetic, Kat creates artwork across a variety of mediums, from risograph art prints and digital illustrations to handmade felt banners designed to “cozify” everyday spaces.

Her work celebrates imperfection, youthfulness, and personality, often blending bright colors with sketchy, hand-drawn elements that feel spontaneous and expressive. Kat gravitates toward designs that feel joyful and approachable while still carrying a little rebellious edge.

Living in Portland provides endless inspiration for Kat. From the trees and parks that surround the city to the vibrant art scene along streets like Hawthorne and Alberta, she finds creative energy in both nature and community. Local galleries, music venues, and tattoo artists also influence her work, reinforcing her love of bold, personal forms of artistic expression.

Through both illustration and textile art, Kat creates pieces that feel vibrant, playful, and full of character.

Poster

Kat’s poster for the Portland Cherry Bombs captures the explosive spirit of “Strike the Fuse,” with a lit match and cherry bomb symbolizing a moment of ignition.The design bursts outward with playful, doodle-style icons, hearts, stars, cherries, flowers, and even a tiny skull, rooted in femme punk culture.

These elements feel spontaneous and youthful, like sketches pulled from a notebook, adding to the artwork’s raw energy. A limited palette of bold reds, soft pinks, and black keeps the composition striking and cohesive. Kat embraces imperfect, hand-drawn lines to create a rebellious, DIY aesthetic full of personality.

The overall composition feels dynamic and mischievous, blending sweetness with edge in every detail.

Scarf

For her Cherry Bombs collection, Kat was immediately drawn to the phrase “Strike the Fuse.”

The phrase sparked an image of a cherry bomb being lit, followed by a burst of color and energy. From there, Kat imagined an explosion of symbols connected to femme punk culture, blending bold attitude with playful visuals.

The design incorporates a limited color palette and a series of doodle-style illustrations inspired by the kinds of drawings you might find in a class notebook, hearts, stars, cherries, and flowers. These elements give the artwork a youthful, spontaneous energy while reinforcing the playful spirit of the Cherry Bombs.

Rather than aiming for polished perfection, Kat intentionally embraced a loose, sketchy quality in the illustrations. The slightly imperfect lines create a rebellious aesthetic that reflects both DIY art culture and the confidence of feminine creative expression.

The result is a collection that feels vibrant, cool, and unapologetically girly, a celebration of creativity, individuality, and female empowerment.

Kat describes the spirit of the Cherry Bombs in two simple words: Wild & Sweet.