Honourable Mention

Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize 2025

Kayla Mahaffey

Title:

“Faint Whispers”

Medium & Dimensions:

Acrylic on linen, 36 x 36 in

About the Artist

Kayla Mahaffey is a Chicago based artist specializing in illustration and fine art. She attended the American Academy of Art where she gained knowledge and strengthened her skills, which led to her developing her style. Her work delves into self identity, resilience, and stories of our past and how they shape us.   Her inspiration is the world around her and her colorful paintings contain hints of whimsy and realism that coexist within our lives and tell a story of inner thoughts and society issues that sometimes go unheard. She continues to further her technique and creativity in her field in order to paint a beautiful picture of a new world for those who live in it.

“Faint Whispers”: displays an innocent adolescent pastime while visualizing the transmission of stories, tales, or rumors. The dreamy cloud elements personify the feeling of words being carried by the wind and shows how speech holds narratives and tons of weight.