We were lucky to catch up with Kayla Mohammadi recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kayla, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I think anyone who goes into the arts is taking a risk. There are easier paths to making money and having a career in the corporate world as one example. My first degree was in Business Administration from Univ. of Wa. I went to work for Price Waterhouse. Later I worked for IBM and Microsoft. Those were all interesting and challenging jobs. But I wanted a creative life. I decided to go back to school to get a BFA in painting at the University of Washington and then an MFA from Boston University. 20 years later I’m still painting. I also teach at Mass College of Art and Design. I am glad I took the risk to leave corporate world and follow what interested me then and still does today.

Kayla, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

It was not over night.
Once out of school it took time to develop my work and at the same time have a job that pays the bills. Over time, my work developed. Exhibitions and awards came my way that gave me what I needed to continue to be a painter.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

You learn that failure is part of the journey.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

That you are in control of your time in the studio. Use it wisely and it will come back to you tenfold.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kaylamohammadi.com
• Instagram: kayla mohammadi
• Linkedin: kayla mohammadi

Image Credits

Dave Clough Photography