| Artist | Kayla Mahaffey | Resides | United States |
| Website | kaylamay.art | Medium | Acrylic Aerosol paint |
| Follow the Artist | kaylamahaffeyart@gmail.com | ||
| Themes | Nostalgia Social issues Childhood Inclusion Identity Conflict Fantasy Imagination |
About the artist
Born (1994) and raised on Chicago’s Southside, Kayla Mahaffey grew up learning to appreciate the charm and soul of her city. The world around her showed how beauty still coexists between the grittiness of our society and how the line between whimsy and reality blurs from time to time. After attending American Academy of Art for a few years, she honed in on her skills and perfected her technique. She discovered her style, by occasionally taking inspiration from media and cartoons and mixing it with fine art techniques. Her colourful paintings contain hints of whimsy and realism that tell a story of life’s journey, nostalgia, and communal topics that sometimes go unheard.
Artwork Themes & Subject Matter
Kayla Mahaffey’s artwork usually consists of themes ranging from societal issues, the trials and tribulations of youth, identity, and conflict. She contrast serious subject matters against the colourful or fantasy filled visuals. They work together to represent the real world and grounds the subject matter while displaying tales of imagination and wonder.
Press
Kayla Mahaffey’s paintings has been featured in both print and online publications including, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, Juxtapoz, Colossal, Time Magazine/TimePieces, and Creative Bloch Magazine.
Upcoming Exhibitions
| When | Exhibition | Gallery |
| August 2023 | Group exhibition: “To be announced” | Richard Beavers Gallery Soho, NY. USA |
| November 2023 | Group exhibition: “Ode To…” | Vertical Gallery Chicago, IL. USA |
CV
Education
2023 American Academy of Art, Chicago, IL. United States
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2021
Remember the Time, Thinkspace Projects, Los Angeles, CA. United States
2020
Adrift, Thinkspace Projects x Lancaster Museum of Art, Lancaster, CA. United States
2019
Off to the Races, LineDot Editions, Chicago, IL. United States
2018
Cherish the Days, LineDot Editions, Chicago, IL. United States
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023
FATHOM, Belong Gallery, Chicago, IL. United States
Annual Emerging to Established Group Exhibition, Krause Gallery, New York, NY. United States
2022
Shared Experience, Straat Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Across the Pond, Thinkspace Projects, London, England
Unity, Volery Gallery, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The Art of the Game, AllStarPress Chicago x Chicago Bulls, IL. United States
Lucid, Bernard Gallery, Victoria, Australia
2021
Small Works, Beinart Gallery, Victoria, Australia
Atomic Number 13, Vertical Gallery, Chicago, IL. United States
2020
Deconstructed, Thinkspace Projects, Los Angeles, CA. United States
7-Year Anniversary Show, Vertical Gallery, Chicago, IL. United States
2019
Scope Miami, LineDot Editions, Miami, FL. United States
15th Anniversary Show, Thinkspace Projects, Los Angele, CA. United States
2018
12×12 Group Exhibition, The Stockroom Gallery, Victoria, Australia
