From sociology to ceramics, senior Kaylee Walsh uses her creativity to advocate for social justice through her artwork.
Walsh, whose art has been featured in exhibits from Stola Contemporary Art Gallery in Chicago to UCA’s Baum Gallery to the Conway Art Walk, has only been creating art for about a year.
“I went to a charter middle school and high school that did not have an art program. My first ‘real’ art class was my junior year of college. It was so scary as everyone was already so much more experienced than me then. I loved art as a kid and wanted to do something that brought a light out of me,” Walsh said.
Walsh said she started out as a sociology major with a minor in art, but through the classes she took at UCA, she realized that she wanted art to play a bigger role in her life, so she switched to a double major in sociology and art.
“I started out as an art minor, but fell too much in love with it to stop at that,” Walsh said.
Adding a second major caused a change in plans for Walsh, leaving her with an additional year before she can graduate; however, she is already looking to the future and planning her next creative endeavors after college.
“I definitely plan on doing both art and sociology after graduating from UCA. My dream is to be a full-time artist incorporating social justice in my work,” Walsh said.
Walsh said the inspiration for her art stems from her passion for sociology and her own life experiences. She creates art to act as a voice for those who are unable to make their voices heard.
“I am a major advocate for those that need their voice to be heard — particularly women and children affected by domestic violence. They teach us in sociology and art that it takes a community to make something functional.
“Back when I was a victim, I didn’t have a voice and needed that support. Now that I survived, I just want to be a voice for those that may not have the opportunity to speak up,” Walsh said.
While making art that portrays strong messages, she also emphasized the importance of incorporating humor, wit and light-heartedness into what she creates.
“All this is very serious and meaningful to me, so I also incorporate witty humor. I’m big on plays with words and juxtaposition. I love making people laugh,” Walsh said.
Her interests in the two areas of art and sociology not only influence the messages she creates but the medium in which she creates them.
She said it is easier to get a message across in a creative way, which is why she leans on several forms of art such as oil pastels, illustrations, fiber arts and most recently, ceramics, to share sociological messages.
Despite the shortness of her art career thus far, Walsh’s involvement in the local art scene is an accomplishment she is most proud of.
“I’d say my biggest accomplishment as an artist so far isn’t the shows or publications, but walking into a community art event and knowing so many people in the room. It brings my heart great joy knowing Conway is an art community and I get to be a part of it,” Walsh said.
As a young creative, she has also set goals, both big and small, for her future. She said she aims to strengthen her skills, collaborate and create more.
“Some of my goals as an artist right now are to improve my skills in 3D work, collaborate with my artist friends at UCA, and see how many artsy Christmas gifts I can whip out before Dec. 25,” Walsh said.
Walsh’s art can be found online on her Instagram and Facebook pages @artbykayleew and the Dodomu online gallery in Brooklyn. Her work can also be found in person at the Conway Art Walk, the downtown Conway farmers market, Stola Contemporary Art Gallery in Chicago, and she is currently working on her website.