Today we’d like to introduce you to Keya Tama.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I was born in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1997. My parents were teenagers at the time. My mom had just started her art career, and my dad was a tattoo artists apprentice. I was surrounded by art and creative culture from the time I was born. I started drawing as soon as I could, from the age of ten, I started taking it more seriously. At 12, I had my first show and released a graphic novel. I started traveling with my mom as she did street art, painting alongside her at many of the events. More recently, I’ve immigrated to the US where I have now had two solo shows, the most recent being at cartoon network studios where I painted a mural in 2017. This year I am working on my third.
Please tell us about your art.
I am a street artist, illustrator, and painter. I make colorful work that focuses on the relationship between the subconscious historic symbolic world guiding us and the present realm of aesthetics. I try to reinterpret ancient visuals into a modern value system. I hope people find resonance in my and add it to there iconography of emotional imagery.
Do you have any advice for other artists? Any lessons you wished you learned earlier?
Look for all the artists, subjects and colors pallets you like the most, study them and until they are not magic anymore, then give back to the world the inspiration you got from them. Then find something new.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
People can see my work on my Instagram @keyatama or my website keyatama.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: keyatama.com
- Instagram: keyatama
Image Credit:
Keya Tama
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