Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kaelyn Provost. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kaelyn, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

My series titled “Looking for Illume” has been the most meaningful project I’ve worked on so far. This series is still in progress and since I am currently developing my second body of work, I’ll go into detail about the first 5 artworks. When working on the first 5 pieces, I intended to include more figures and portraits as the subject matter. However, I decided to let go of control over the outcome and decided to explore abstraction. I genuinely wanted my drawings and paintings to be intuitive, free-flowing, and saturated in color. With pursuing this series I challenged myself to host my light source as the subject matter to further emphasize the spiritual significance, in addition to working abstractly for the first time. I offered myself the freedom to flow, to not confine myself to a form or structure and to trust my ability to create amazing pieces in a new style. Amazing art not only applies to aesthetics and application, but feeling connected to the art. Overall, this series is rewarding me compassion that I have struggled to receive from myself and others, in the mistakes I’ve made and how I’ve chosen to navigate hard situations with clouded or manipulated judgement.

Kaelyn, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Growing up in the north side of Houston, my main exposure to a creative space was by letting myself be imaginative in art classes. Taking these classes in middle and high school allowed me the space to connect with teachers who really invested in guiding me. My high school was able to participate in art competitions and through that my teacher saw my artwork and wanted me to pursue higher education and find more opportunities to showcase my work. I’ve also done research on websites where artists’ sell their work.

I am currently selling prints of my art and some framed original pieces, with the consideration of creating more products as well. As of currently, I print, package and send out my own products while being a full-time student, so I try not to take on more that I can handle. Despite the time constraints, I communicate effectively with my supporters about the status of their orders when necessary so that we’re both on the same page. Keeping up with proper communication is something I am proud of because customers share their appreciation for the updates in addition to getting good quality artwork.

The main thing I want my potential supporters to know is that I truly love what I do as an artist, from creating to the process of sending out orders. I want them to experience my work with the same authenticity and care that I put into creating the art.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is meeting like-minded individuals who appreciate the creative process. I enjoy the conversations where we dive deep into this process and express our passion for it. Additionally, I also find it rewarding when people tell me how they connect with my art, especially when they find meaning in my work that is specific to their life experiences.

How did you build your audience on social media?

My audience came from posting my art and interacting with everyone who responded to my work. I would say thank you or share some form of gratitude when possible. Eventually, I started to find more artists who would share my work and added me to group chats to meet other artists. Sharing each other’s posts helped reach audiences from other artists as well. When building a following, it’s great to express your gratitude to those who show support and don’t be afraid to contact or support other creatives who’s work you really love. Sharing “work-in-progress” pictures or videos are also great ways to build because the viewers get a sense of being apart of the creative process, increasing their interest in the outcome of your work.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.klyn-art.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strwbrrykaewi
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaelyn-provost-aa3526226/
• Twitter: twitter.com/strwbrrykaewi

Image Credits
Credit for personal photo: Letarik (@letarikblk on instagram)