Episode 7 - Kevin Bayless

This month we are catching up with kite artist Kevin Bayless. Kevin and I dive into his history in kites from his start with his first sport kite to his now infamous pawn shop Singer sewing machine and on to his signature style. Like many kite artists, Kevin generated a lot of scrap but unlike a lot of artists, where most would see waste Kevin saw opportunity and an iconic motif was born. Kevin has been around the kiting world for a number of years now and has created an iconic visual that is instantly recognizable so pull up a seat as we peak under the hood at just how Kevin arrived at this point in his kiting career.0:00 Introductions 3:48 Reverse-engineering and self-taught sewing 10:16 From waste to art 18:18 Collaboration and the first parafoils 23:02 Focusing on single line 28:20 Rokkakus - Reshaping visuals in flight 31:51 Sewing machine evolution 38:01 Experimenting with unusual fittings 45:27 Advice on building a recognizable style 49:56 Advice for new builders and artists 57:10 Safety, public education, and the appeal of big kites for new flyers