Willpower 2018

Kayla Mahaffey's 'Willpower’ pulses with bright colour and intricate details—a real feast for the eyes! I imagine her building up the layers, negotiating that central portrait against a swirl of cartoonish forms. There’s a tension, right? That stern, grounded gaze of the child, contrasted with the light-hearted energy of the floating figures, the lightning flashes, and those steam-cloud puffs. Look how the buildings reflect on the helmet, adding a layer of urban grit to this fantastical scene. The application of paint is so smooth, particularly around the face, which gives it a photographic quality. Mahaffey isn't afraid to mix it up. In a way, this tension is what painting is all about. It's that constant push and pull, testing the balance between control and chaos. It's like she’s inviting us to contemplate how we balance our inner strength with the world's playful, unpredictable nature. Artists like Mahaffey show how painting can be a space for embracing all the complexities of life, offering us new ways to see and feel.