cultivating community
kennady bob
Divine Spectrum is a meditation on my self expression, its roots within and how it has become translated into who I am. My identity as an artist, a healer, and fluid being in a black female body all have been translated to me through my creations. With each painting I understand myself more. I am able to find peace in the fact that my skin holds infinite beauty, power and creativity because that same beauty, power and creativity is reflected to me in the multiverses depicted in my artwork. The images I create are formed and accessed by my subconscious mind, and I feel my ancestors, friends and family flow through and around me while I create, continuously informing my process and my existence. I feel the most comfortable being myself when I am able to express uninhibitedly, in constant conversation with myself ancestors and guides, as well as when I am surrounded by creative people and energy.
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Divine Spectrum, Los Angeles, CA, 2019.
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Divine Spectrum, Los Angeles, CA, 2019.
Kennatree (Kennady Bob) is a Los Angeles based freelance artist, born and raised in Houston, Texas. Her work is an exploration of the human experience by way of the black experience. She uses color, line and space in ways that portray the broad variance of each individual and their infinite capacity to create world's unseen. Her work is used primarily as a means of accessing new frequencies and other realms in order to redefine her relationship to her environment. Her creative process helps to center her existence on creating love, beauty, healing and peace in her life as well as those of everyone she encounters. Traveling through the world up until this point has brought many opportunities for Kennatree to expand her understanding of who she is at her core. At this point in her journey she identifies most with the colors that are transmitted through her into the dreamscapes that she paints.
verbal communion
with:
Kennady Bob
Can you describe yourself or your personal identity with a five-word story? Why did you choose those words?
She flew with rainbow wings.
These words represent my relationship to the art I make. My art is a reflection of myself; I am my art work and all that I create. I feel in touch with my highest self while channeling the vibrant colors in my work. It’s feels almost as if I’m flying.
How does this series, as a whole, or each piece individually, represent the idea, embody, or visualize the essence of identity for you?
This series of words and images represent identity for me because I have found who I am through the colors I release. I have become one with my true self by allowing the colors to flow freely and without judgement. The poem I've submitted is a testament to the fact that I am composed of multiple essences and thought-forms that all coalesce to form Kennady Bob. Since I am in constant conversation with my subconscious by way of my painting process (which is automatic and rarely preconceived), and have forged a very strong relationship to who I am, I am comfortable allowing my soul to shine forth in everything I do. Being that I identify more with the colors that flow through me than anything else, the visual image I provided depicts me in a state of blissful cohabitation in one of the many environments I access in my imagination; a land full of color, fluidity, life and infinite expansion.
In what ways do you think your identity has been shaped by mass media and society?
My identity has been shaped more-so by my abstinence from extended engagement with mass media and society than by my participation in the two. For the past seven years of my life I have slowly taken the care to delve deeper into my own mind and heart in order to reprogram myself. This process has been instrumental in the progression of my artistic expression and connection with the Divine Creator that lives within me. I am very selective with the type of media I engage in, and although I am a part of society I am learning how to participate in my community after having been so reclusive for such a long time. I feel like my life has been very closely tied to the Hermit Tarot card, and now I am coming into a place of returning back to my communities to share what I've learned on my inner journey.
Why do you create?
I create because I would be doing a disservice to my soul if I wasn't. I create to honor the God within. If I did not create, I would not be stable emotionally or mentally. My art is the way that I process all of my life's experiences.
Who do you create for?
I create for myself, firstly. As I mentioned before, I would not have a stable mental and emotional disposition if I were to stop creating. Thankfully I have reached a place in my process that allows me to relish in the beauty that flows through me into my art. I love my work and indulge in it at every opportunity I get. Secondly, I create in order to inspire others. I want people to see my creations and know that they too have the same depth and beauty waiting to be unleashed within themselves.
How has your locale informed your identity?
I moved to California from Houston, Texas in 2013 at 18 years old. This move allowed me the space to expand in all areas of my life, considering the fact that I was raised, along with my twin sister, by my very protective grandmother after my mother passed away. Since moving to California I have had the opportunity to live abroad in London, UK and Florence, Italy. Moving away from home has definitely influenced the person I am, and given me a broader perspective on what it means to be alive. Witnessing the diversity in nature, cultures and belief systems since moving to California and Los Angeles specifically, I find myself in a constant state of transformation. I am constantly absorbing new information and shedding past ways of existing. Living in Los Angeles has largely impacted the way I process my thoughts and emotions. I've learned the value of self expression at all costs.
Have you been able to find or create a physical community where you live?
I have had the Fortune of finding community since moving to Los Angeles. Before I moved here in 2016 I was a part of a group show in Downtown which was one of the first places that I was able to connect with folks from the city that I still am in contact with. I find that when I am expressing myself passionately and sharing those expressions, I am drawn to like-minded individuals. This has been the case for the past three years, and though my periods of sharing and experiencing fluctuate, I can say that I have a consistent group of people that mirror my experience and surround me when I'm vibrating at my highest. This is a blessing that I'm truly grateful for.
How has the Internet expanded or changed your idea of and involvement in community exchanges?
The internet has been a great vehicle for my artwork to expand. I have been able to connect with many people online that find inspiration in my work and follow my progress. I have found people that inspire me as well and during the times that I'm unable to engage in everything at once, I can stay connected to those I care about through the internet.