Today we’d like to introduce you to Kenna Reid.
Hi Kenna, 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 grew up in a milquetoast suburban town in Centennial, Colorado. My parents had four kids, with myself being the second oldest out of my brother and my two sisters. We made so many lasting memories in our home there and I got a chance to become really close to my family.
As a kid, I spent hours at the kitchen table drawing the things I saw on our journey. I’ve always loved cartoons and animated movies. I used to imagine what it would be like to create my own world one day.
Eventually, my family and I moved to Texas. In my junior year of college, I met an artist. His creative passion and artistic self-expression was like unlike anything I had experienced. He pushed me to step into my power and create the life and worlds I always dreamed. So, one night I set out to Michaels to buy my first tubes of acrylic paint, and I made my first acrylic painting.
A few months later, I quit my job at the time and filed for my first LLC, as an artist. As my ambitions grew, I began selling prints of my art at markets across Texas. In a short time, my art has been featured in Gristle Art Gallery, at dozens of events, and has received thousands of shares on Twitter and other social media. My art has found its way into cities I never imaged. I’m so excited for what tomorrow brings. I can’t wait to share my newest worlds and inspire others to do things that bring them joy and fulfill their hearts the most!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I knew that pursuing this path as an artist would require me to be on social media. I have dealt with social anxiety in my actual life so it was a challenge for me to put myself out there in the beginning. There were times where logging onto IG would make me so anxious, I just wouldn’t post for months. It’s something that still comes up but I’ve learned to just feel the “fear and do it anyways”. I’ve become more comfortable with being on social platforms and have even started a YouTube channel where I post vlogs and process videos of me crafting in my studio.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I paint surreal dreamscapes. I first started with using acrylic paints, where my art was often compared to pastel watercolors. In 2020, I bought my first drawing tablet so I could create more detailed works. I went from using a dozen layers with acrylic paint to over thousands with my tablet.
I love to experiment and am an advocate for exploration. I think that having a curious mind allows me to better envision new worlds, bridge genres, and combine ideas that may otherwise be overlooked.
I am very fascinated by Mother Nature, black women, and the power of the bond that unifies everything. I want to invite you into higher dimensions where life in all forms are flourishing. Each painting to me is a celebration of life.
I’m proud to make art that people can feel. When people write to me or tell me that they struggle with depression and my art has added joy to their life, it is truly moving, and an honor. It is such a blessing that others enjoy what I enjoy creating.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I loved spending all day building forts with pillow and blankets, playing video games, watching Tom and Jerry, and playing outside with my siblings.
Contact Info:
- Email: kennareidarts@gmail.com
- Website: kennareid.com
- Instagram: @kennareid_art
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kennareidarts
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/kennareidart
- Youtube: https://bit.ly/3imVcms
- Other: sunbeamdreams.com
