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

Hi Kayla, thanks for joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

First and foremost I feel that all creatives are taking a risk, putting yourself out into the world for others to see and judge your work is incredibly intimidating and…risky. For me, I have been creative for as long as I can remember. As a little girl, during the summer when school was out, I would wake up before the sun to go to work with my Dad. My father is an incredbile woodworker making beautiful pieces of work for gorgeous homes all over the U.S., some of which have been featured in magazines. So I feel that seeing my Dad strive every day to create something beautiful for his customers, taught me that I can do the same thing! About 2 years after high school I began applying my passion to paint by custom painting nursery letters for expecting and current parents, This later led me to start photography doing family portraits, which then turned into weddings and so much more. Shortly after I began photography, I started doing digital design work. All of this was risky and tested my ability to believe in myself, which can take a toll and become mentally exhausting, so after several years I decided to go back to work.

I took a long break from being creative to focus on my new career but occasionally would dabble in creating here and there. It wasn’t until October 2022 that I decided to dive back into art, and that is when I began doing textured art. So here I was putting my art back out into the world, to be judged. By taking this risk it led me to doing one of the most meaningful pieces of artwork after just 9 months, that is now displayed in a Capital One Cafe in The Woodlands Mall.

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?

As a little girl, I grew up without any siblings until my younger brother was born close to 5 years later, which meant I had to find a way to entertain myself. I spent a lot of time writing stories and drawing pictures in my room. The area of Texas I grew up in was quite rural at the time, so once I got old enough I would venture out into the woods and build forts out of limbs. I just loved working with my hands doing whatever I could at the time. As I mentioned previously, my Dad is a very talented woodworker, so during the summer when I would go to work with him, I would find a decent size of scrap wood, glue, and sawdust and go to town. I would make designs with the glue, then sprinkle sawdust on top and let it dry and in the end, I had a very original masterpiece that I was sure my parents or grandparents would love to display in their home. In addition to my Dad’s talent in woodworking, my grandfather was also an experienced drafter during his adult career and once he retired he had the most dreamy garden with every color rose, and vegetables and fruit galore. He had water misters set up throughout the garden and when I would walk through it the water would lay on my hair and skin like glitter. For me I was brought up being able to see the beauty in so many things and I feel that is where I developed the desire to use my creative abilities to create artwork that other people could see beauty in and be filled with happiness each day they see my work in their homes.

As an artist I have a specific style that I prefer, but I also like to be pushed past my limits and work with each client to discuss their visions. I like to see photos or videos of the space and help my clients determine the best size and quantity. From there I can give them my ideas that I feel will suit the style and space in the home and collectively we can come up with a design together that we both will love.

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

Most rewarding? That’s genuinely a very difficult question, but such a good one! For me, I think the most rewarding aspect is the community I have built up around me. When being creative with others we feel less isolated and more connected as a community.

People who share similar interests and find value in art and creativity are what ALL artists need. The art community is incredibly supportive and we inspire and encourage each other to keep creating for ourselves first and foremost. I feel that artists view the world a little differently and seeing each other’s views helps you to open up to new ideas and experiences.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

In the past, my goal for being creative was to make someone else happy. I have filled homes with art and photographs that to this day are still expressed to me as being something they love. It is such a fulfilling experience knowing that my art brings others joy.

Presently, my mission is to create more for myself and focus more on the benefits of creating for mental health. Making art not only contributes to leading an expressive, fulfilling, and creative life…it also focuses our attention from our daily worries.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ktartdesignco/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KTartanddesignco/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayla-trammell-90b826271/

Image Credits
Kayla Trammell