SPOTLIGHT: @KAYTHECREATIVE

I‘m usually in front of the camera. However, I also love to help create with my friends. In CREATING CONTENT, I’m sharing my experience as I get behind the lens and try my hand in photography!  Meet Kayla Smith, poet, artist, entrepreneur, and Co-host of BXN Radio podcast.

Diego: Introduce yourself!

Kayla: My name is Kayla Smith but I’ve had people call me by my Instagram handle, kaythecreative, which is always funny to me. I co-host BXN Radio podcast and am a freelance digital illustrator and artist I selling my art on my Etsy shop for now.

Where did you grow up?

I’m a first generation Bronxite -one of the first in my family to be born in the US. My dad put down roots in the Wakefield area of the Bronx before sending for my mom and sister in Antigua, the land of 365 beaches, of ducana and sal’ fish and the most painfully hilarious storytellers you will ever meet. I still live in Wakefield; I actually live three blocks away from the home I grew up in.

What lead you to your current passion?

I can’t say what lead me to my passion, it’s how God made me honestly. I like to say I’m creative by design. I’m cultivating what comes naturally to me. As early as I can remember I was writing stories and drawing. I remember trying to fold and roll paper strips into holders for my pencils and coins. There was a shortage of space in my old apartment and I needed to create a solution. Creating is one of my passions and I have a few main outlets to let my creativity flow -art, poetry.

I would say my other passion is thinking and discourse. I’m always thinking and dissecting. I like exploring my own thought, feeling and reasons behind them. I like knowing what people are thinking and getting the heart of people, I like getting to know the “man behind the curtain”.

What happened that led you to this?

The best way I can explain why my current passions are what they are is because I’m a pursuer of understanding and truth. I like to share my discoveries through my creativity. If I write a poem about my feelings, thoughts and experiences or someone else’s perspective and I can help others understand and connect. People may not always agree but they may be able to learn something more about themselves, others and the world around them. The same with my art but it’s somewhat new territory for my so I’m still learning how I want to convey messages through it. I’m in an experimental phase. I’m still learning the language but until I can speak it fluently, I usually combine my art and poetry to express my thoughts and tell the stories I want to share.

What inspires you?

I’m inspired by why things work, why they don’t, who people are, who they are when another person is introduced to their equation. I like exploring how one thing builds upon the next and finding the links and common factors.

There are more than 100 pieces inside of a watch; it’s a very complex, precise system. The operation of a watch hinges on every part being where it needs to be. I see a lot of things as a watch; on the outside you see the long hand, short hand, numbers and ticks -the time- it seems straightforward, but under the surface there is so much to be explored. It’s the “under surface” of myself, of people, concepts, tasks, actions, decisions that excite me.

Where do you want to see your passion take you?

I want to continue selling art -I’ve started painting now and I want to write a book of poetry but, for as long as I can remember, when I envision myself fulfilling my purpose, I’m on a stage. In my vision I’m talking to a room full of people.

Sometimes I’m doing spoken word but mostly I’m breaking down concepts, and sharing thoughts and ideas. I think I’m teaching in a very unconventional sense. I want my passion to take me to that place. I want to be invited to speak on panels, talk shows, more podcasts, and radio maybe. I just believe where I’m set to go is a place where people need what I have to share.

Tell me about your style

I have a Pinterest board of what I want my style to be. I’m inspired by the wardrobe on Korean dramas; they wear statement pieces that have a timeless quality. It’s an understated sophistication that I love. I don’t need trendy, I want pieces that stand the test of time like an all black look with a red lip, a standout piece of jewelry, or a headwrap. I like adding elements that catch the eye like pop of color or a beautiful pattern.

Where do you see your neighborhood going in the next 10 years?

My neighborhood consists of Afro-Caribbean immigrants. We, their children, are naturally more invested in our communities away from the homeland. A lot of us want to see the Bronx flourish by melding the cultures of our parents with the one we learned here. Both cultures make us who we are. I would like to see more of us owning property. In ten years I hope we’re starting businesses, driving our economy and building the art scene. I want us to make this neighborhood what we dream it would be, something our progeny will enjoy and run with.

Any projects of yours coming up I should check out?

I’m developing an Instagram Live show. The premise of the show is asking people “everyday” questions that reveal the complexity in the seemingly ordinary and how people can have differing perspectives on one issue. My goal is a profound yet relatable show that encourages people to dissect and examine their thoughts and opinions and for people realize how unique yet connected we all are. You can also find my art on my Etsy and more on my site, Creative By Design.

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Thanks for reading, y’all stay dandy. 😎 Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram!
-Diego