Meet Kaybe Woods | Story Artist, Creator, and General Artist

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

Hi Kaybe, why did you pursue a creative career?
Oh, thanks for asking! And thank you for having me here c:

Growing up, I never thought I would pursue a creative career. I actually wanted to be a veterinarian and work with animals. However, art was always in my blood. My grandmother was a very talented artist. When we first moved into our house when I was 3, she would spend time replicating paintings and creating originals to decorate the walls. She thought the walls looked too bare. I’d spend time just sitting with her and watching her create different colorful strokes. It was the best day when she let me hold the paint brush for the first time!

My uncle is an artist as well—inspired by my grandmother. When he found out I had an interest for art, he bought me one of those massive art kits. The ones with watercolor cakes, crayons, colored pencils—the works! I loved that kit.

And of course, my mother is very crafty. She would make paper mache pumpkins, life-size scarecrows, and a room full of snow for the holidays. Her ingenuity inspires me with my creative work as a whole.

I decided to go into the animation industry since animation had such a massive impact on my childhood. My TV was constantly set to “38” for Cartoon Network and “25” for Nickelodeon. The storytelling, world-building, and memorable characters had me hooked! I wanted to create TV shows like the ones I grew up on while telling more stories from different perspectives. Entering the industry, I met so many wonderful and creative people. We all wanted to share stories and create memories for our audiences. I worked in production management as a coordinator with an interest in shifting to storyboarding. I love acting and cinematography so storyboarding felt like the perfect place for me!

However, with industry shifts, I have leaned more into becoming an independent artist. I still storyboard and animate, and I lean into design (graphic, motion, UI) and illustration. I’ve been experimenting with traditional art and combining it with my digital art with some new projects on the horizon.

With my creative processes being so all over the place, my art was one of the inspirations for me starting my podcast, “Creating in Color”. I enjoy listening to people’s stories and journeys. I reached out to BIPOC creatives to share their stories to inspire the listener and to introduce new career opportunities they may have never heard of. I’ve learned a lot through the process of growing Creating in Color’s platform, and I hope my listeners have learned a lot too.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’d describe my art as playful! I love playing with my skillset, whether it be digital art to work on an animation or traditional art to make a sculpture. I like to have fun while creating, and I like having that fun read through my art. I pull a lot of inspiration from fantasy, sci fi, horror, animals and nature, my upbringing, and my experiences. Obviously, if I’m working on a project for a client or studio, I can’t have as much fun as I’d like, but I try to where I can within their boundaries and expectations.

But it took a while to get there. My art would feel stiff and rigid and I couldn’t figure out why. I would practice and practice but still struggle. After some self-reflection, I realized it was a mental block I had to work through, not just in my art, but within myself as well. I’m still working on improving and growing day by day and I think my art is a beautiful reflection of that.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Where would I take a friend visiting from out of town? Hmm… That’s tough because there’s so much to do.

I’d want to take my guest on a trip to at least one of the many museums of LA. A few of my favorites are LACMA and MOCA. But I also love Exposition Park! There’s so much to learn and see there; it’s amazing! It’s great that we have so many museums close to each other and I love visiting them throughout the year. I also love the LA Zoo and Aquarium of the Pacific to draw animals.

For less educational entertainment, I love going to places with set buildings that transport you to a new world. Amusement parks and escape rooms come to mind! If my friend is visiting during Halloween, we’d have to find a scary walkthrough to experience. I did one that transported the guest into a swamp! It was so fascinating!

When it comes to much more low-key travels, it’s the beach every time. I would take a blanket and my picnic basket with some snacks and enjoy the sounds and smell of the crashing waves for hours. The beach is honestly my happy place and I love to be there with wonderful company.

I like to entertain and share from my home. I really enjoy cooking and baking and sharing it with friends and family. But I don’t always feel like cooking! So I love going to small-owned restaurants and cafes. I’m vegetarian and I’m always trying to keep an eye out for tasty options in LA. There’s a lot of options in Little Tokyo which is awesome! Plus it’s an iconic part of Downtown.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I think the biggest shout out has to go to my partner, Nick. He’s my muse, my motivator, and my biggest supporter. I wouldn’t be this far along in my journey if it wasn’t for him cheering me on and challenging me. Whenever I get stuck either with learning a new skill or getting too caught up in my head, he’s always there to calm me down and help me work through the problem.

I’ve been lucky to have coworkers and friends mentor me to help my skills in storytelling and storyboarding improve so much! Thank you to Clay, Jim, and Nora for all of your assistance in my storyboarding journey, and the biggest thank you to Beth. She’s the one who originally reached out to me as a PA when she was a director. She was very patient and had such clear communication. She helped me improve my work so much! She was the one to truly introduce me into the world of storyboarding.

And of course, a big, big shout out to my grandmother. She introduced me into the world of art in the first place. Whenever I tried a creative adventure, she was always there to support and motivate me. She would listen to my struggles and give me comfort in the form of understanding, a hug, and a slice of freshly baked marble cake.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/maybeitskaybe

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaybewoods/

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@MaybeitsKaybe

Other: https://linktr.ee/MaybeitsKaybe