Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Henriquez.
Hi Kayla, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I started dancing at the age of three while I attended Montessori Learning Center. I have danced jazz, ballet, tap, belly dancing, hip-hop, and salsa. At the age of five, my mom enrolled me in an art class held in the dance studio I attended; I used to take it in between dance classes, and I would sign my pieces as “Kayla 5”. Although I love both visual arts and dance, I discovered that I had a stronger passion for visual arts at the age of ten; this is when my art journey officially began.
During fourth grade, I joined the Art Club at my elementary school, Pinecrest Academy Charter School South Campus. After that, I realized I wanted to be an artist. After telling my mom I wanted to study art, she found an art studio outside of school and registered me for classes. Throughout that time, I had my first-ever exhibition, and I built a strong portfolio which I later used to apply for the South Miami Middle Community School Art Magnet Program.
They accepted me into the program, and during middle school, I learned many new techniques and how to use many different mediums. As I continued to grow in the arts, my portfolio also continued to grow, and I continued to participate in various exhibitions and projects. I selected some pieces to create a portfolio to apply and audition for art magnet high schools. I chose to go to Coral Reef Senior High School’s Visual Arts Magnet Program. Within those four years of high school, not only did I continue to learn about the different forms of Art making, exposing my art and participating in group projects, but I began building my concentration.
With the new work I incorporated into my portfolio, I applied to the only art college I wanted to attend. After applying and being interviewed, the New World School of the Arts College accepted me into their four-year program. My time at New World was very different from the other schools I attended. Although the other schools were excellent, this was a much deeper way of learning. This school gave me a glimpse of what the art world is like and an insight into how to prepare myself for professional life after receiving my Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Through the exchange of critiques, the new knowledge, and the lovely connections I made, I’ve learned to see art differently. I learned how to ask myself questions about my work, learn more about what I truly wanted my work to be about, and most importantly, what was influencing me into creating the work I have been making. Now, after receiving my degree, I am currently working as an Artist Assistant while still producing more pieces, building connections, and working on ways in which I can show my work to others.
Alright, 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?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. I had such a strong passion for visual arts at such a young age that it caused me to step out of my comfort zone to accomplish what I wanted. When I was registered for classes at The Artist Portfolio studio at the age of ten, I remember feeling intimidated because not only did I not know anyone, but I was the youngest one in the classes working on creating my portfolio.
It was worth the intimidation because I ended up learning a lot, having my first exhibition, and making friends. Another situation that caused me to step out of my comfort zone was when I went to South Miami Middle Community School. I remember being overly sure I wanted to go to their art magnet program, but as I walked into the school, I quickly realized that I did not know anyone in the entire school since I lived so far away.
It was a one-hour drive to school and then back home from school every day for three years, but I feel very blessed and thankful to have always had the support of my family. I have to say that this decision was worth it because I ended up learning much more, making many friends, having my work in more exhibitions, and building a strong enough portfolio for high school.
What are you known for? What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
Throughout the years, I have explored many different forms of art making like sculpture, painting, printmaking, drawing, etc. but now after much time and development, I have created my new current body of work. I view my work with symbolism.
My process of strategically choosing and utilizing each medium in my work is essential because it is influenced by the separation of my family and me. I choose each medium in my work and the meaning of each shape I create within the linework and the overall structure of the pieces. I create my work using different methods.
One is using flat sheets of watercolor paper and working on it with my linework and mixed media. I also enjoy manipulating the paper surface by cutting out some parts of it in irregular shapes and then rearranging them within the piece to represent separation, displacement, and detachment, along with reunion and hope. Another method is constructing layers and overlapping strips of stained sheets of paper using various mediums to form a lattice structure.
I use the lattice form as my technique to represent a symbolic bond between all of my intentions and the bond that I have with my family, although they are far away. Among the various materials, I use the soil from my grandparent’s yard in Cuba, soil from the “el campo” of the Dominican Republic, and Florida soil from my yard.
I also use other materials such as the Cuban coffee grounds of La Llave (my maternal grandparent’s favorite coffee), orange blossom tea (Florida’s state flower; the orange blossom), chamomile tea (a tea my mom would always give me as a child and throughout my upbringing) and mahogany bark stain (mahogany/caoba is Dominican Republic’s (D.R.) national tree whose bark my paternal grandmother would form a stain with and then use it to dye her hair when she lived in the D.R.).
Using all of these powerful mediums, I begin the process by creating a stain out of each of them. I then pour and splash it across the paper and use the unpredictability of the mark each stain makes. I use thin markers of different colors to form hand-drawn patterns and repetitions on top of the uncontrolled, organic nature of the splatters, developing a sense of movement.
To create a strong contrast, I use black markers to draw my intricate patterns because it allows me to create a sense of depth. I often also use red, white, and blue, which evoke the colors of my heritage: the Cuban, Dominican, and American flags. I am known for two things that set me apart from others: personally because of my kindness towards everyone and artistically because of my intricate hand-drawn patterns on symbolistic mediums from my nationalities.
I am mostly proud of how dedicated and disciplined I’ve been throughout my art journey because it has helped me be receptive to the immense knowledge and experience of wonderful people I have been lucky to come across, which has helped me grow.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I am a risk taker. I view it as an opportunity for new growth. I have taken them, not only when going to the art studio and starting middle school at such a young age, preparing my first ever art portfolio, and being surrounded by no one that I knew; I also take them within my art-making as well.
I have gotten to where I am within my pieces today because I took risks. I have gotten out of my comfort zone by trying new techniques and mediums, pushing my work in an even better direction. I will continue taking risks because each could be a learning lesson and a chance to expand.
Contact Info:
- Email: kayla.henriquez.art@gmail.com
- Website: www.kaylahenriquez.com
