Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Arroy.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kayla. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve been making art as a hobby off and on throughout my life but didn’t start taking it more seriously until about two years ago in 2017 when I made the decision to dive in head first and start truly exploring my personal sense of creativity. Growing up in West Texas, the desert was a major initial inspiration for me. I started out by playing with chalk pastels because they felt like they represented home which was an obvious source of comfort. I explored more surreal looking landscape pieces and could feel myself being more and more called to pushing my boundaries a bit so I began working with ink. I practiced my drawing skills during Inktober, a popular drawing challenge across social media platforms during the month of October. I used my own template and began creating figures and scenes that conveyed spiritual concepts and thoughtforms of my own. Shortly after, I moved to Colorado and had a bit of a break from art due to the hustle and bustle of relocating states. As I got more settled, I picked up my paint, and again, started from what I knew – the desert. I’ve always had a very minimalist approach to my work, and I began picking up on this as I explored more abstract, geometric, hard-edged work which is where my current body of work stands.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think, for many artists, there can be a tendency toward struggle. Whether it be imposter syndrome, life events that take away from our time or energy, or a simple lack of inspiration, there are many things that can get in the way of creating. I’ve experienced all three and then some. It’s definitely not been a smooth road. Somedays, I pick up a brush and I know exactly what I want to do and then I execute it and it’s not what I thought it would be. Others, I don’t even get as far as to walk into my studio space. I’m not a “bad artist” because I haven’t painted in a week, or two, or a month. I’m not a “bad artist” if I just don’t have the space to create, whether that be mentally, emotionally, or physically. These are things I definitely have to remind myself all the time. I don’t always feel like creating, and I think it’s important for artists to know that it’s okay to feel that way.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
So many moments have been proud! I’ve been a part of two showcases, an awesome event called Perspective: Art and Floral, and I’ll have a show at Maker General in Longmont in a few months. I think the proudest I’ve felt was during the first showcase I’ve done. Standing back and watching the public interact with my work solidified what I’m doing and where I want to go with my work.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.laeudaimonia.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/laeudaimoniaart
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