Founding Partner & Director of Artist Culture
Kayla Mahaffey
Multidisciplinary visual artist: painting, identity, nostalgia, and social commentary
Born and raised on Chicago's Southside, deeply rooted in the city's cultural fabric
Artist Consultant specializing in brand identity, portfolio development, and marketing alignment
Mentorship-focused: guiding artists from creative practice to professional art business
Active collectors list and ongoing exhibition practice
Full Biography
Kayla Mahaffey (aka Kayla May) is a multidisciplinary visual artist born and raised on Chicago's Southside. Growing up, she learned to appreciate the charm and soul of her city: how beauty still coexists between the grittiness of our society, and how the line between whimsy and reality blurs from time to time.
Her colorful paintings, occasionally drawing from media and adding two-dimensional or abstract elements, contain hints of whimsy and realism that tell a story of identity, nostalgia, and social topics that sometimes go unheard.
As Founding Partner & Director of Artist Culture at Black Figure Bureau, Kayla operates as an Artist Consultant focused on shaping each artist's overarching creative vision, ensuring that all output, portfolio, visual style, and marketing align with their brand identity. She continuously provides mentorship to help artists transition from just producing work to running a professional art business.