KATIE BUTTERA

ing Simpson Safety Equipment at the dragstrip for many years . Buttera knew she wanted to be involved in racing , too , but she also realized that driving wasn ’ t in the cards .

“ I said , how can I do this art thing and race car stuff . So , I got my art degree and learned how to weld ,” says Buttera , who went to Indiana University and received a Fine Arts Sculpture degree . “ Then it was like , this is it . I ’ m going to make stuff from race cars .”

It started with her own search for race-themed jewelry – unsatisfied with the available options , she sought to make her own .

“ Then it snowballed out of control ,” she says . “ It got bigger , and I had to name it . I didn ’ t want to use my name as clout ; I wanted to remain in this shadow , so I came up with Apple Girl Art . Apples don ’ t fall far from the tree .”

The first pieces of jewelry that really took off were her signature wrapped wrench ring and

matching bracelet . In addition to jewelry , Buttera ’ s online gallery ( applegirlart . com ) has grown to include everything from decorative letters and keychains to desk art and flowing , beautiful pieces dropped as numbered collections labeled as The Body Project .

“ The thing I ’ m most proud of is that I ’ ve made it this far ,” she says . “ I created a whole brand , and it ’ s fun to exist out there in the world for stuff I ’ ve made . It ’ s a real thing , a whole , living , breathing thing that I created and that I get to do . It ’ s surreal , but it ’ s really cool .”

Buttera is still getting her fix at the racetrack , as she plays the role of sidekick and assist-withanything-and-everything crew member for lifelong friend and Top Fuel racer Krista Baldwin .

“ We ’ re the KB Club ,” says Buttera . “ We ’ ve been friends since we were born and done everything together . From the beginning , I told her she ’ d never do this alone . Plus , my boyfriend , Jake [ Sanders ] has a Nostalgia Funny Car . I go with him , and we ’ re deep-rooted in IndyCar and Sprint Car as a family . I get to do everything . It ’ s a really fun life , actually .”

Although Buttera joked that her future plans include world domination , the truth emerged in an earnest , emphatic tone accompanied with a genuine smile .

“ I want to do this forever ,” she says . “ I want to make cool stuff , and I want everyone to have something I made .” DI

20 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 181