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

Kayla, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

My parents have always been selfless when it came to my two sisters and me. No matter how tough it was financially or mentally for them, they made sure to provide the best for us. I don’t believe that any parent is a perfect parent, but I have always felt supported by my parents when it comes to my art and creativity.

Now, my parents aren’t really “artsy fartsy”, but they’ve always tried to understand and consider my art. For Christmas, my birthdays, or random occasions – they would gift me paintbrushes, canvases, oil pastels, etc. They made it possible for me to pursue my hobby which turned into my deepest passion. It is nice to not have to worry about supplies. I just know that I have the tools and resources to transform my intangible ideas into physical art.

One of my fondest memories is a time I painted a piece of a sad clown face surrounded by various colored strokes of color. A whirlwind of colors harassing this depressed clown. I was going through a hard time mentally and used my art to cope. My dad came into my room when I was done and said “Wow, this is beautiful. I can feel your emotions radiating throughout.” That reaction is part of what drives me creatively & spiritually, to have somebody be moved in any direction by something I made. The fact that my dad, a military dude of 26 years, could have such a reaction to my art…it just made me feel a special.

Their constant support has helped me become the artist I am today. Hey parents, when you read this, I hope you know how much you guys mean to me. I love you both so much.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Whenever someone asks me how I would describe my work I say: colorful, vivid, wonky, and full of texture. An eccentric, playful, and curious artist that likes to create faces with missing features, and the female body with missing limbs. When someone looks at my art I hope they can experience some form of emotion, good or bad.

I started out just like any other artist with a pen and paper in school during a boring lecture, or at home with a coloring book and crayons. The thing that set it off for me though was Alex Pardee. I was amazed by his work at a young age. Colorful creepy creatures? Count me in. It got me inspired! I started drawing my own creatures and experimented with colors to convey my emotions. As I got older I learned of Vincent Van Gogh, Yayoi Kusama, and Georg Baselitz. All different yet all piqued my curiosity and fascination. I started experimenting with different themes.

Faces. Drawing/Painting faces intrigued me. There was so much you could do with them! I could play with gender and mix it anyway I pleased. Yet, it also reflected how I view myself. How I felt like I was missing pieces of myself or felt unseen. How my mental health was draining fragments of myself and leaving empty space.

When I recognized my sexuality and was honest about who I was, it truly altered how I viewed my art, my body, my mindset, and my entire life. I started creating pieces of work on the female body. Emphasizing the parts of the female physique that have been sexualized and not appreciated as they should be, as a form of art. Being able to express that through my art is what I think I am most proud of.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal as an artist is to just make someone feel something. Whether you look at my art with admiration or disgust, I made you evoke that emotion out into the universe. I got you to stop and think about what you were viewing.

It doesn’t matter to me whether you understand my art but as long as you can find some form of emotion to explain how my art made you feel is the greatest success. This goal has made it easier to create and thrive without worrying about the viewer. Look at my art, acknowledge my efforts and evaluate how you feel.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

As I’ve said previously, making someone feel any type of emotion as they view my art is extremely rewarding. Yet, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is just making something I am proud of. I created these pieces with my own two hands. I did that and no one can take that away from me.

I can forever look back at my art and smile with the appreciation that I was brave enough to put my art out there for the world to see. No matter how many views or likes I receive, I can look back and just relish the fact that I created art. I am unapologetic for my art and who I am.

Vincent Van Gogh once said
“I try more and more to be myself, caring relatively little whether people approve or disapprove.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kaylarafferty.myportfolio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayhexe/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayla0rafferty/