Today we’d like to introduce you to Ki Smith.
Hi Ki, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve always been an artist. It runs in my blood. Growing up being homeschooled, I was given lots of opportunities to focus on fields I was drawn to. Thanks to my parents, I discovered my love for photography. I started focusing more on specific media once I turned 14 and got my own camera, but previously I had used all types of mediums, such as painting, drawing, fashion design/creation, makeup, and digital art. Once I started focusing on my photography work more when I transferred to a public high school, I decided that would be my future. I worked alongside other amazing artists (as well as a teacher I give a lot of credit for pushing me as an artist) Miss Ievolo. Having an open and honest discussion about art in my high school courses helped prepare me for what I really needed within my creative process. I gained such a passion for the work I was creating and spent all of my free time studying different techniques and forming ideas based off of other artists I loved.
Moving onto 2020, after graduating high school, my dad has passed away from cancer. It really threw my life in a different direction. I had just got accepted to SCAD ATL, which was my dream since I toured it when I was just eight. As I prepared to start my freshman year, I struggled tremendously with the grief of losing my father. I continue to face the struggles of loss every day, and this played a huge role in my creative process just as much as my everyday life.
After passing freshman year on the dean’s list, even after facing these struggles, I fought hard to make my dad proud. I continued to build my portfolio and create works that truly spoke to me.
A lot of my work is connected to very personal stories, especially regarding my grief and womanhood. I continuously strive to be a better artist and person. My goal is to always inspire others to create and be better, as well as open up topics that can be very difficult for some people to comprehend by seeing these ideas in an artistic view. I proceed in my career with the goals I have set for myself, as well as to create pride for my family and loved ones.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Although I have a lot of privileges in my life, I wouldn’t say it’s been a smooth road. Considering the loss of my father, as well as personal struggles with self-confidence, relationships, and the creative process, it’s been a lot to handle. However, I am very strong-willed. I get that from my mom. I’ve fought very hard throughout all of my personal struggles through therapy and surrounding myself with amazing people to fight for the life I have created for myself. I continue to fight and try to help others who need help as well.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in portrait fine arts photography. I’ve always loved capturing people in creative ways to show their true aura and aesthetics. As well as that, I love to create series based off of my personal experiences, as well as documenting the stories of others. I think I’m most known for my mixed media works. I work a lot with graphic design and mixed media because I love hands on works. Especially with my past of using all sorts of mediums and materials. I’m most proud of the works that have really connected with people. A huge part of my inspiration behind my work is having a reach to people and relating issues within my art. I think something that sets me apart from others is my involvement in my creative process. I value connection with my models and hearing their stories to accurately produce their individual photos. I feel like I wouldn’t be a true artist if I wasn’t invested into curating the individual look that each model is going for. As well as that, in my non-series works, I strive to continually make connections with my models in order for them to really feel and be involved in the pieces just as much as me.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I would say Pinterest for sure! I make mood boards for every project, and having a visual library really helps me plan out my exact ideas. I also have a huge collection of music that inspires a lot of my works, whether that be specific songs or albums, Spotify always has me covered. I also enjoy Instagram to connect with models as well as other artists for collaborations as well as inspiration!
Contact Info:
- Website: kirileyphoto.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/kirileyphoto
- Facebook: facebook.com/kirileyphoto
- Linkedin: LinkedIn.com/KidenSmith
Image Credits
All Photos taken by me. (Except first photo of me with camera was taken by Angelina Barbaria, and last photo of me was taken by Evelyn Armstrong) Models Include: Alia, Tara, Myself, Mycah, Agnes, and Soumaiya.
