We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Keniya Montgomery a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Keniya, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

My Mission is to spread awareness about Unity . I create constantly because it reminds me that I have the freedom of expression , which is a gift . Being fully expressed is the true form of freedom , and without that we do not have unity. In order to create art , It requires a certain truth. It requires being honest with yourself about what matters to you , and what you’re willing to share with the world . Artists have the special gift of physically being able to materialize the thoughts of many . Many artists are the deep thinkers , the quote on quote overly sensitive. We notice things others don’t & we pay attention to detail . The ability to look deeply is the root of creativity. We tap dance in which would be considered the unseen . We force others to see what is right in front of us & awaken others to see that what they feel is separating us is what actually holds us all together . Art creates a profound connection between the artist and the audience , and through that all can be one . Life is about Duality to me and that is what it is like to be an artist . Being able to balance being in between the two poles constantly, and bringing the lessons I learn on my journey to the physical is my work . That to me is the most enjoyable work I have to do in my life .

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My Name is Keniya Montgomery, and I am a 21 year old Artist and Alchemist. I do not claim to be just one thing because I believe I am a multifaceted person , & I do not limit myself to the endless opportunities of expressing myself through creating new things . I have felt inclined to create since I was very young, and I found myself being interested in many topics that required me to be very introspective growing up. I like to provide a safe space for emotions and color /creativity. All of my works are similar to diary entries , and I like to create all my work without worrying about the outcome , so it can arrive in its most truest form . My initial goal was not necessarily to be recognized but to create a community of like minded individuals who are also passionate about similar things. Growing up I had a very tumultuous childhood & my art was a personal world I created to heal myself . It was also a mark of my mental health, and overtime I noticed the change in my styles as I changed as a person . What sets me apart is that I do not believe I am apart from anyone . We are all fingers on the same hand , and my job is to just be a mirror to remind others who they are on the inside. I call myself both an Artist and an Alchemist because they go hand in hand in my life . I take what I go through in the world , and as a way of healing I transmute those emotions and experiences into images that I can keep forever. I feel that is what makes for powerful art , despite there being so many kinds. I feel it helps the viewer connect on a different level despite the criteria of the piece . My favorite medium is paint , it requires patience and focus & I often find myself in a trance like state of mind . I like to bring others most imaginative & unethical ideas to life . I am most proud of my consistency. I am a fan off all works because it requires a certain discipline to show up every time you create. Discipline is one of the highest forms of self love . It also creates an atmosphere of vulnerability, & I’ve learned to value consistency over perfectionism which i know a lot of people struggle with .

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Growing up I had to move around on multiple occasions. At one point in time I had been given the ultimatum at 20 years old to stay in Vegas where I had recently traveled to , or move back to Georgia where I was born and start over. What was holding me back was that in that period of time I had created an incredible abundance of art that I had become attached to. If I left , I would also be leaving all of my art that I had been pouring my heart into for the past few months . I had to choose between my mental health or my material possessions. I felt like all the art I had created was what made me who I was , and I thought if I left it all that I would be loosing a part of myself . I made the decision to start over . It was not only for my mental health , but it served as a personal statement to myself . I wanted to show myself that everything I created came from inside of me , and that if I could make it once I could do it again , and again . It also showed me by being overly attached to my art , it was holding my back from creating new things not only on canvas but in my life . Your art should promote change in your life , not hold you back . It forced me to be honest about who I was as a person and what I truly wanted . And speaking from the present it was truly a gift because my style changed from then on , and I love my newest works just as much . Every version of yourself is just as valuable as the other .

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A lesson I had to learn was to not compare myself to other artist . We all have people who inspire us and even those we look up to , had people who inspired them . It’s like we are all sharing one brain , and pulling ideas out in our own language. Similar to history , art often repeats itself , and shows up in the way it needs to so that we can learn . Similar to our mistakes in the past . I also believe that ideas have people , and people don’t have ideas . There’s a time when certain things are meant to be expressed in order to make a change . You may have an idea , and not act on it right away , and later see it come to life . That is because it was ready to come to fruition. We are all tools or instruments of intelligence being used to bring forth ideas

Contact Info:

• Instagram: KayssCreationss
• Twitter: baesickbitch_
• Other: Tik tok : gl0wkay or little pickle pony