Roots Run Deep 2019

Kayla Mahaffey made "Roots Run Deep," and I’m immediately drawn into its world. A child's face is at the center, surrounded by bursting flowers, rendered in a palette of oranges and yellows. The painting feels like a garden of the imagination, with cartoonish figures peering out from behind the blooms. I can imagine Mahaffey layering the paint, letting each element emerge organically, like a seedling pushing through soil. What was she thinking as she decided to add each flower, each character? The child's gaze is so direct, so knowing. The title suggests this child’s roots burrow deep into something strong and vibrant, and makes me think about the history of figurative painting, and how each artist adds their own unique vision. "Roots Run Deep" is a reminder that art is in constant conversation, each artist building on the work of those who came before.