Art is a talent that not all have in the same form or degree. Kyla Converse has a talent at her young age of 19 years old that many work hard to accomplish at a much more mature age. She loves handcrafted and home made projects seeking out the difficult and complex projects completing them to beauty. Kyla has always been interested in art. Her childhood memories include her great grandmother, Ivy, sitting down with her and her sisters drawing most anything and showing them how to draw using simple objects. A letter S could be turned into a goose or a stemmed glass turned into a beautiful face. Kyla caught on quickly and her love for art was born and encouraged.
Painting and drawing has always held an interest for her. Many of her works have been masterfully created for family members and while some of her art hangs in hallowed halls, she is always available for commissioned work. Kyla enjoys working outside and nature provides much of her motivation. The fresh air, wildlife and plants provide an interpretation of all that is beautiful in life. Kyla likes to photograph and then use her photos as reference for drawing or painting. She enjoys painting the night sky and what it has to offer in color, tones and shadows.
Kyla finds music as a creative motivator and different genres of music can elicit different moods in her art. She prefers lively and upbeat tunes to provide a background to creativity. Kyla says “there is nothing like a good set of music to keep the creative juices flowing.”
Nothing is too daunting for Kyla to do and she will find the knowledge to do it if she sees the challenge. Kyla has no formal art training or schooling for art. She just researches techniques, compiles the materials and in a short time has mastered the project. She has a creative eye and stayed busy this past holiday season making personalized ornaments, shirts, shoes and more. Her personalized ornaments can be made for any holiday or occasion. She can use any design, any color and most any theme. She starts with a clear orb or flat container and designs the desired decoration, creates the intricate design and artfully affixes it into the ornament. She then fills the container with any liquid agent and seals it for eternity.
Kyla recently discovered her talent in decorating shoes. She will take a pair of loafer or sports style shoe and a color theme and hand decorate with beads. She can make a boring pair of kicks into a spectacular work of art.
When the pandemic began it was difficult to find comfortable masks or a comfortable way to wear the mask. Kyla devised something both creative and serviceable for masks to avoid discomfort for the wearer. She designed an ear saver. It is a headband that allows the mask to rest not on the ears but on the headband. She also can provide this same service or artistic design on a cap which works for all sexes. Many nurses have found them to be not only earsavers but lifesavers.
She has also created some beautiful coasters made of wood with personalized designs on them. All of these can be done on a commission basis. Turnaround for most items is 2-3 days. Some works of art are a little more time needy and patience is required please. Kyla does have a full time job but her schedule allows plenty of time for completion of any art projects.
Kyla has a deep desire to learn to do leather work. She is in search of furthering her education of tooling leather, embossing and stamping leathers. Painting leather is also an interest of hers and will be in her repertoire soon. According to Kyla, a natural progression of art in wood is burning. This is an art that requires skills and a steady hand. She intends to master this soon.
She prefers self teaching to a more formal teaching as she prefers to learn by experience when working with materials and designs. While formal teaching provides guidelines the best teacher is experience. Finding what works or does not work is an artist specific tool that is best learned personally. Much like an artist knows when a piece of art is completed an artist knows what tools and techniques work best for them and their particular project.
Kyla enjoys creating her own designs but is not opposed to using something someone may prefer for their specific work commissioned. She finds motivation for designs and inspiration in what others do but likes to blaze her own trail so to speak on creating. She is not a traditionalist but forges a trail of her own. Her inspiration may come from others creativity but Kyla makes it her own style and creation. Her favorite design to work into her art is serape. She enjoys the colors, the vibrancy and the designs.
Kyla finds art relaxing and is intrigued by the story it tells. She does not leave the audience wondering or envisioning anything but what she wants them to know. Her art is the whole story. She wants her audience to view her work and know instantly what she was trying to say. She enjoys mentoring others in producing their own style and designs in their own artistic endeavors. Her advice to anyone is to just start with something that interests them and begin creating. Nothing is incorrect and always do it for yourself and to please yourself first.
Most anything can be commissioned with notice. Kyla has done shirts, cups, coasters, tin signs, and even baby announcements on onesies!!! She can do shirts for bridal parties, reunions, showers and more. She is experienced in sublimation and infusible ink projects. Those processes of art are somewhat more complex but as talented as Kyla is…she has mastered both processes. Sublimation is the process of transferring a design or drawing to an object such as a shirt or sign. If done incorrectly it can transfer with lines or ghostly shadows onto the product. Kyla can take a drawing, her artwork or something chosen by client and transfer it to another object of choice. She is also competent with infusible ink. Infusible ink is the process of transferring art or another design onto a surface and it will not crack, peel or fade. It is infused into the destination. This is an excellent process for shirts, blankets, and other porous surfaces.
Kyla has even mastered wrapping. Wrapping can be done on most items from small cups, glasses, computers, coolers, all the way up to cars and trucks. Kyla can design the wrap with her artwork or a preferred design of her customer.
Kyla does not currently operate a studio for the public due to covid but she has samples of her work and more on her facebook Kyla Converse or she can be emailed at kyladnae01@gmail.com She can also be reached at 210-273-7819. One day Kyla would like to own a boutique and exhibit her art in the establishment but that will come eventually. She also has aspirations in art with hair and makeup and that too will come with her boutique. If you have a project that falls within Kyla’s wheelhouse give her a call and ask. You never know…you just might find that perfect gift idea or art work for your own collection!!! Valentine’s Day is soon so do not wait. Call Kyla today and order your sweetheart that special gift. After all supporting the arts is what it is all about. Give a gift that lasts forever, give a gift from the heart, give a special work of art.
