We were lucky to catch up with Kennedeigh Smith recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kennedeigh , thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Having gone to Grand Prairie Fine Arts Academy, my path was always clearly paved for the visual arts. I was painting, drawing, and sculpting daily, constantly developing my skills as an artist. Throughout high school, I was building connections and expanding my reach within the local art world. Although I didn’t have a clear direction beyond high school, I knew I wanted to achieve something significant that went beyond painting.
In my Junior year, the college counselor recommended that I participate in the QuestBridge Scholars competition. I focused my application on the skills and extracurricular activities I was familiar with and had participated in, which enabled me to earn the highest honor in the program. From there, I knew I had been presented with a path into this interdisciplinary world that I wanted to commit myself to.
Psychology has always been a focus in my artwork, as viewer interaction with my paintings is an integral part of the work as a whole. I created illusions and rely heavily on symbolism for the viewer to interpret the piece as their image. That’s how I found my way to Yale’s neuroscience program through QuestBridge’s college match in my senior year.
As I delved deeper into Yale’s cognitive neuroscience track, which incorporated studies heavily intertwined with visual art, I realized this was the program I needed to be a part of. After passing the first round of the Questbridge CM, I could select up to 15 universities from their list to apply to, and if I got into any of them, I had to attend all four years per the contract. The only school I put on my list was Yale University, meaning if I didn’t get in, I would have thrown away my chance at a full scholarship. But I dedicated myself to my application and put everything I had into it. And I was accepted into Yale University with a full-ride scholarship through the Questbridge college match in December of 2023. Honestly, I hadn’t realized I had been working toward this, but when it happened, it felt completely right.

Kennedeigh , 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?

Hello! I am a 19-year-old student artist currently studying Neuroscience and Painting at Yale University. I started painting when I was a toddler, like the cliches say, and I never put paintbrushes down. I tried just about every medium I could, then my mom encouraged me to try out for a fine arts school.
By honing my painting skills, I began creating portraits of loved ones from the past for family and friends, as well as fun works for people to enjoy in their homes. I still provide these services when I can, but I’m currently focusing primarily on my studies. Mainly, I competed in statewide art competitions in Texas, created work for my classes, and had exhibitions. My preferred genre is Afro-surrealism, concerning the psychological experiences of being a black woman. I find it to be a fascinating contemporary subject as the world continues to expand through technology and scientific advancement. Of course, I am still exploring and finding my way as an artist, but it has been an incredibly fulfilling experience so far to grow alongside my creativity and artwork.

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

My absolute favorite part about being an artist is watching viewers interact with my work. As I have said, I am deeply interested in the psychology/neuroscience overlap with the visual art world. The pieces I create are meant to be pieces that play with the idea of internal perspective. I have meanings and reasons behind the work, but they are not explicitly stated when my work is displayed. I strive to let the work speak to the viewer, and by hearing their perceptions, I gain a small glimpse into their mind and life experiences.

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

I can honestly say that my mission changes with me constantly. If I find a new medium, I want to master it. If I find a new subject, I want to paint it. And I think that’s an integral part of an artist’s relationship with their craft that often gets lost in the process of monetization, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be maintained. A primary reason I didn’t want to pursue art studies was to support these changes in my creation goals without feeling trapped in a marketing cycle or dependent on something constantly evolving. I think there are artist who can find their niche and live within that for the rest of their career, and that’s amazing. I know my journey will always move with me; it will not move me. And that’s okay! Freedom to explore art from the very core of creation, the human brain, is what I would say drives my overarching journey if I had to put a name to it, though.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: kenneskartoons

Image Credits

All photos and artworks created by me!