Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiarah Allen.
Hi Kiarah, 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’ve drawn portraits and been a creative my entire life. It wasn’t until I moved to Baton Rouge, LA in 2015 that I began truly taking my craft seriously. My dad had been telling me since I was a little kid that I should start painting, so one day I finally decided to give it a try. Creating some of my best pieces from 2015-2019, I knew that I was destined to do more and to take it a step further. I moved to Texas at the beginning of July 2019. I will never forget that month because, on my birthday (July 16th), my friends and I stopped at a sip and paint at Johnavich Studios. While enjoying the vibe and creating, the instructor asked me if I would like to be a part of an art show he would be hosting a few months later. What’s crazy is, that was my very first one. I was so nervous, but I created some of my best works the months before the show. From there, I’ve been invited to be a part of a dozen more. I’ve had so many opportunities become available to me because of a paintbrush, and I’m truly grateful. The next show I will be a part of is hosted by Trapxart on September 8th right here in Dallas.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Truthfully, the road has been very smooth. I can honestly say the biggest struggle that I’ve encountered has been getting out of my head and just allowing the art to just flow. I believe social media plays a part in that because it caused me to compare myself or thing of what I wasn’t doing versus celebrating everything that I have done.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a portrait painter, a graphic designer, a sketch artist, and an innovator. I specialize in portrait drawings, and I believe that is what I am known for. Anyone who has been following my work for a while would call me a portrait artist, whether it be with a pencil or with paint. I can truly say I am most proud of my portrait of Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez, I truly surprised myself. The thing that sets me apart from other creatives is that my style is unique, every piece that I create is different but there’s something that ties them all together.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I believe that a life without taking risks is a life of decline. If you’re not willing to take a risk, how do you expect to grow? One of the biggest risks that I took was during the height of covid. I lost my job and decided to be an entrepreneur instead of finding another one. I went an entire 12 months without any guaranteed income. Truthfully, I can say it was one of the scariest but most impactful things that I’ve ever done. It put me in a true grind mindset because it was really “sink or swim” for an entire year. That year humbled me. It taught me how to budget, it taught me that life can change in 2 seconds, and I could lose everything. It taught me that you’ve never truly mastered or earned something if you can’t lose it all and get it all back plus some.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/kai_candyapple
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/kiarah
Image Credits
Kiarah Allen
Artsy Intellectual
Juneguz
