Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kayleen Berry. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Kayleen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I’ve always known art was going to be something I pursued on a professional level, and I’ve only ever been to art school, starting at the High School of Art and Design and then the California College of the Arts for textiles. Before I decided to pursue art full time, I was working as a print and pattern designer, where I got to paint and draw all day, so even my 9-5 was artistic.
In 2019, I had my first solo show outside of school , and that moment changed my perspective for the rest of my life. I sold my first painting to a complete stranger for $800, and a lightbulb went off in my head. Consider it my “aha” moment.
To be fully transparent, I was too afraid to take the leap and pursue art as my full-time job because it seemed intimidating and uncertain. However, I think the universe had different plans for me. One day, I received a daunting email from my job stating I would be affected by mass layoffs. At first, it was devastating, but then I saw it as a sign to fully immerse myself in my craft, painting.
Within that first year, I worked every single day to build my body of work, a whole new network, and explored new techniques. I’d be lying if I said that process was fun and easy; it was so difficult to break into a new art scene, but with persistence, opportunities started to arise and relationships were built.
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 Kayleen Berry. I’m a visual artist based in both rural Pennsylvania and Aguadilla, Puerto Rico (I know it seems like worlds apart). My passion for art started as a kid; I’ve always been obsessed with animals and drawing. My parents are a big reason why I started to pursue art. My mom would take me on museum dates and enroll me in drawing classes; she saw my potential early on and really encouraged it. My dad had a natural nack for illustration and would always find an opportunity to show off his snoopy drawings…haha. My wife is a significant reason why I still pursue art; she believed in my vision and has been my confidant throughout this career!
These days, my work is heavily inspired by my Puerto Rican roots and the islands rich ecosystem. I don’t know if my work is meant to have one sole purpose, but I do know that it’s meant to spark conversations about the animals that live on the island. My work merges supernatural elements with very real topics like climate change, animal research, and historical iconography. In my recent works, I’ve highlighted the semi-free roaming Rhesus Macaque monkeys on the island of Cayo Santiago. These monkeys were brought over in the 1930’s solely for research purposes, which is fascinating for so many reasons, but one being how anthropologists use their research to better understand human DNA.
If I had to choose one thing I’m most proud of, I’d say my willingness to keep going and having a strong artistic voice. Having strength in my artistic conviction isn’t something that came naturally; I had to practice over and over again to get it right. I promise, once it clicks…it feels like you can walk into any social situation and completely OWN your work.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
I think the art world can feel so abstract to people who are not “in it.” Most people think a fruitful career only consists of selling work and just painting all day…when that can’t be further from it! There are so many unwritten steps we have to take, one of them being arguably one of the most important, and thats networking! But aside from the obvious, learning how to write about your work comes in second; we are consistently applying for grants, residencies, and maybe an open call here and there. I don’t think non-creatives understand that artists are trailblazers, and our drive is the generator of our success. Success looks different for everyone, but in my case there is no “One goal,” no final step; its a lifelong commitment to continue creating work that promotes conversation about what’s really happening in the world.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
yes, so as mentioned earlier, a big part of this career is applying for grants, residencies and open calls When I first made the decision to pursue art, I applied to countless open calls and was faced with an uncanny amount of rejection. At first, this made me second-guess this path and left me wondering why I was doing this. There was a lot of questioning, which is normal. But, I realized that the rejection wasn’t a testimate of my skills, and quite frankly, it was never personal. So why would I let this stop me from pursuing the thing I love most? Instead of sulking and quitting, I poured that frustration and anger into the work. I continued to show up for myself and have made a strong body of work because of those difficult moments. I strongly believe that passion and confidence can feel like a tangible thing, and people will eventually catch on to what you’re working on. I think a lot of artists like to keep the “hard” things private and make it seem like their career just blossomed naturally, but we have to talk about this out loud. To help educate people and let emerging artists know they’re not alone in this.
Opportunities come to you when you’re ready for them, and its important to keep working through hardships because it will only make you a stronger individual and artist.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kayleendaa.com
- Instagram: kayleendaa
- Linkedin: kayleen alyssa berry
Image Credits
n/a
I do want to add image titles:
1. Group of monkeys Title: Rhesus Macaques of Cayo Santiago | acrylic on 60x65in linen| 2024
2. Blue self portrait Title: Como Una Iguaca | Acrylic on 26x26in on linen | 2024
3. Pink yelling monkey Title: WARNING SIGN | Acrylic on 12x12in canvas | 2024
4. Pink Jumping horse Title: SWEETER THAN SUGARCANE | acrylic on 60x72in linen | 2024
5. Bananas Title: ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY | Acrylic on 30x60in linen | 2024
6. Cloud girl : CURRENTLY… | Oil & acrylic on 48x60in canvas | 2023