Meet Kay Keeks | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kay Keeks and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kay, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Risk is something that I fully support. The right risks. Throughout my life I have always been the type to push the envelope and have more than not been met with the fear of others. Somehow that fear usually tells me that I’m moving in the right direction because playing it safe has never been my goal. We want security, we want certainty, but we also want success and to obtain that we need to walk the path of chance. Anyone who leads with fear is focusing on the chance of failure without dancing in the light of positive possibilities. In order for my life to grow in the way I desire it too, dancing in those possibilities is the only way. The opportunity for failure is apparent, yes. However, the belief I have in my own two hands to catch myself no matter what allows me to play high stakes. High risk, high reward they say. Whether it comes from investing in more education, new certifications, bigger art pieces, or walking up to someone who might intimidate me, I will always bet on myself and know that although the risk is there, it is necessary. Without it, we have only plateaued.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Nothing good in life comes too easily. I will say that being able to tap back in something my creative self has been the most natural feeling aspect of the last few years. My work speaks for itself. I pour my imagination, emotions, and obsession for color into my work and that catches the eye of others. This December I will be accomplishing one of my biggest goals to show in ART BASEL MIAMI. This art festival is a huge deal for me as my art will be in the eyes of thousands of people. A dream come true. I also love that I genuinely applied and therefore was considered. It wasn’t an opportunity that was handed to me, I’m proud of that. Any obstacles of this profession are usually based around financial struggles, especially being based in LA but like I said these are the risks that are worthy. I am harvesting my rewards this year. “Curiosity Saves” has been my motto for years as I believe that we should all live in curiosity, constantly seeking new knowledge, new experiences, and new versions of our self as we grow in this life. I’m thankful that I did.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Any time someone visits me here in LA, the first thing we care about is food. While I prefer to cook my meals, there are some certain places that I can not live without. Millie’s Cafe, FLORE, or Larchmont Cafe are the go to brunch places. For lunch, Dune to get falafel. For dinner, Thai food at The Silverlake house. I am also a maniac for French fries, so I also recommend The Wee Chippy at Venice beach to everyone. They have the best fries in this city! When it comes to activities, it no surprise that I would take them to a museum like The Getty or The Broad. Outside adventures are also top tier so I often take new comers to see the views of El Matador and sunsets at Venice or Lake Hollywood Park.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
To get where I am today and to arrive at where I’m heading too, I could not be more grateful for the people that surround me. First, the everlasting and undying support from my partner and love, Daniel Sky. He has always celebrated my light and lifted me up. The love and gratitude we have for one another is eternal and it’s an honor to be able to return that same support on his journey with music. Next, my friends and family. My chosen family that I have built in LA have watched my art grow and have been fueling my fire daily, I could not be more overwhelmed knowing that we are in each others corner. I am very selective about who I share my energy with and I have curated the most beautiful collection of humans.

Instagram: @gimmekeeks

Image Credits
Tamara Fox