Kate Hackett is an artist and writer, who has tapped into her amazing talents to create and and star in her very own show called "Classic Alice", which airs on YouTube.

Kate is a proud Irish American woman working in the film industry with a show that has a great message: read more, interpret more, and understand classic art!
Her show even features novels by prominent Irish and Irish American writers! Today I am delighted to publish a guest post, written by Kate, where she explains how growing up Irish influenced her as an artist.
And so, I hand you over to Kate ......
Table of Contents
Growing Up Irish And Being An Artist
With a name like “Hackett” and hair this red, the first joke anyone makes is always:
Oh, are you Irish?
And of course the answer is a resounding yes.

And I think that’s awesome; I’ve always been proud to be Irish-American and that culture effortlessly seeps into my work.
"When something is so deeply part of you, it’s almost inevitable that it pops up in your work and your art!"
Even when I was very young, I gravitated toward Irish music and folklore for leisure.
I sing, and using a CD we called “The Irish Album” (which was most likely not its name at all), I taught myself several Irish classics — Molly Malone, The Spanish Lady, Come Back to Erin…
When I wanted to learn another instrument, I picked the violin because it was frequently used in Irish music; as I became more advanced, I learned to transition from violin into fiddle playing, again as an homage to my Irish roots.
Kate's Inspirations
Music is inspirational, and for me, everywhere; even now, I play music when I write.
As a writer, I have frequently looked to either old Irish folklore or Irish writers through the ages for inspiration.
Academically, my dissertations both focused on Irish culture. Creatively, I find myself drawn again and again to my cultural roots for inspiration.

Classic Alice
For my show Classic Alice, I frequently examine both lesser-known and well-known Irish writers to find nuances that Alice (the main character) may have encountered on her own journey, which doubtlessly mimics my own in that she too draws inspiration from her cultural roots.
As a student of literature, Alice would be intimately familiar with not only Joyce, Wilde, and Swift, but also Banshees, Faeries, and other folkloric pieces.
Even more obvious: my costar would tease me relentlessly when I couldn’t say a line in Classic Alice without an accent; I must have heard a family member say the phrase when I was young and it stuck!

When you grow up in an environment that encourages you to celebrate your cultural heritage, it is absolutely a given that you will find cultural nuances in your artistic work; be it the addition of an Irish linguistic blip (a wee sandwich! sure look it!) that perhaps isn’t familiar to an American ear or the actual leaning toward Irish themes (noting that “The Troubles” were, in fact, far more than troubling, or even having a dark humor) in your work.
And I’m thrilled to be able to bring an Irish-American background to everything I do!
A big thank you to Kate for these wonderful insights into her Irish roots and how her Irish American heritage influences her work.
If you would like to follow Kate's accomplishments and learn more about her work and the charming, intriguing character she has created in Classic Alice, here are the links you need:
Kate and Classic Alice On YouTube
Indiegogo Campaign to Save Alice

Wishing Kate every success as an actress, director, writer and artist. I hope her crowd funding campaign is successful so that she can Save Alice.

Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Mairéad -Irish American Mom
Pronunciation - slawn ah-gus ban-ock-th
Mairéad - rhymes with parade
Here are some Irish recipes you might enjoy...
brian@irelandfavorites
Wow where to start, should I be nice or informative, I'll ponder.
Cheers,
Brian.
Irish American Mom
Ah Brian - you're always nice.
Take care,
Mairéad
Cheryl Barker
Kate sounds like a very talented young woman with lots of creative outlets. Many blessings to you, Kate!
Irish American Mom
Thanks Cheryl for checking out this talented artist.
All the best,
Mairéad
Ray Brown
Dear Mairead,
You always have so many interesting and insightful stories. The story of Kate was wondeful. I am so glad she has always looked at her talents through Irish eyes and really loves our beautiful Irish culture. It reminds me of my wonderful mother who loved Ireland and every thing Irish. This love of Ireland was instilled in me especially through my mom' education of my brother and me. When I was in my third year at the university and I was stressed out with more exams, I called my dear mom to tell her after this year I wanted to quit the university for a while. I got a wee bit of an Irish scolding from my mom. I remember to this day, many years later, her words. She said, "Ray, the Irish have never been quiters and you can't quit. The Irish have never been known to quit when things get tough." She then went into the history of some educated family members in our family. By the time my mom was done with her pep talk, I thought of all my Irish ancestors and how they would be rolling in their graves if I quit , and I did not. I finished not only my bachelor's degree but my Master's degree too. It helps to have a family that loves all things Irish and instills in us my mom's adage: "The Irish are not quiters!"
Irish American Mom
Ray - So true - the Irish are not quitters. I remember my own mother encouraging me to always finish anything I started. "Keep going until you're done." That was always her advice, just like your Irish mother.
Best wishes,
Mairéad