Conversations with Kyrah Benson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kyrah Benson

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I feel incredibly fortunate to have been born and raised in Los Angeles. I think it’s incredibly easy to take being from here for granted, but I like to remind myself that being an LA native is a blessing — it’s essentially starting at the heart of where so many aspire to be. I’d like to think I was even more destined to have a creative path given the family I was born into. My father is a true creative genius, best known for his design work, while my mother has explored a new crafty hobby every year for as long as I can remember. And my talented-songbird sister has been singing since she learned to speak.

Art has always been the center of my existence; down to my parents meeting in art school. As a kid, I didn’t dream of a wedding or college — I just wanted to create and have enough money to hire someone to handle my chores. When my kindergarten teacher, Ms. Olivera, asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I confidently replied, “An artist.” She encouraged me by saying I didn’t have to wait until then — I already was one. Over the years, I’ve explored a wide range of mediums: acrylic paint, crocheting, felting, jewelry making, and more. Yet, I have never lost my love for clay. I discovered polymer clay in 2011 and quickly became obsessed with making miniature food. In high school, I finally got the chance to take a Ceramics class in my senior year. Outside of that being the best class to have at eight in the morning, it also solidified my commitment to pursuing this medium more seriously.

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?
While I was confident about wanting to be an artist from the age of five, I didn’t fully embrace that path until this year. I have the universale tale of a hating teacher that every rapper often references in their songs about overcoming obstacles. In fourth grade, we had a passion project where we wrote our own stories and illustrated them, with the promise that our teacher would help publish them. My confidence plummeted when she held up my artwork in front of the entire class as an example of what not to do, calling it ugly, sloppy, and messy. It wasn’t until much later that I realized this experience kept me from creating for myself. Still, I honed my craft academically, especially in middle school, where our curriculum involved creating our own textbooks. It wasn’t until I turned 19 that I began to openly affirm my identity as an artist again.

Discussing the struggles in my life often feels like trauma-dumping. The period right after high school was one of the darkest times I’ve ever faced, and I plan to release a project dedicated to processing my experiences from the fall of 2019. The following year, I enrolled in esthetician school, eager to move forward, only to find myself stuck with my thoughts and company during the global pandemic. — which forced me to wait a year and a half to get licensed. During that stagnation, my sister was diagnosed with lupus, and due to COVID regulations, I was separated from my family as hospital visitations were limited. I spent three months alone and unemployed, consumed by anxiety about my sister’s health while being 15 miles away. However, I can honestly say that those long periods of solitude, brought on by unfortunate events, tremendously helped me reconnect and fall back in love with my art.

I’ve faced my share of struggles, but I feel incredibly blessed to have a strong support system in real life and online. In the past few years, I’ve created freely because of the people who believe and help invest in my craft. My parents, especially my nana, have always encouraged me to pursue what makes me happy, as long I put in my best effort. Now that Kennedy is a teenager (we’re six years apart), we have deeper conversations about life and support each other through similar emotions at different stages. My two favorite people, Kory and Cione, have been my anchors during these challenging early adult years. They have supported my creative journey by investing in my art supplies and curating spaces for us to create together. I’m also grateful for the unwavering support from other creatives and friends online. I’m extremely grateful to have so many people speak light into me and encourage my artistic pursuits.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m still exploring which art mediums I want to pursue professionally and which ones I’ll keep for fun. Just a heads-up: if you choose to follow my artistic journey, don’t expect me to stick to one thing! Right now, I’m taking a six-week throwing wheel course. Although I’ve done ceramics before, my teenage reluctance to take off my acrylic nails limited me to hand-building. After perfecting my craft, I plan to sell handmade pieces like dinnerware and ash trays.

The other medium I consistently return to is acrylic paint. Since 2022, I’ve been working on a collection dedicated to the black women who have inspired me throughout my life. Each piece is painted solely in black on 8 x 11 canvases. I dream of showcasing them all in a few rows on a wall, honoring and appreciating the contributions of black women.

I’m particularly proud of getting a job in the art field by the age of 23. Just two months into the role, I had the opportunity to be a part of curating an art show. With a small team, I worked closely with my boss over FaceTime as he managed other responsibilities across the country. Being new to the job and having no real guidebook, I felt a lot of pressure to execute everything flawlessly. But I thrive in handling obstacles, and we ultimately pulled off a phenomenal show. It was a surreal experience to curate an exhibition in the heart of my hometown. If you’re ever looking for a new gallery to visit, check out Context Projects.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
As I mentioned earlier, my academic journey wasn’t the smoothest. However, growing up alongside the rapid rise of YouTube taught me early on how to use the platform for learning. Long before I ever touched polymer clay, I watched countless videos about the medium. As a kid, I kind of always did extensive research before asking my parents to invest in something to show them I was serious about it.

One day, my mom took me to Michaels, where each block of clay was just 79 cents. She let me choose one block in every color of the rainbow. I would come home from school and immediately dive into crafting every day. I was practicing to eventually have my own YouTube channel but wasn’t allowed to due to household internet regulations. (not mad at the parenting though I often think about how we could have been rich by now!). Instead, I would film tutorials on my iPad, making mini foods and figurines as if I already had a channel. It was a wonderful source of escapism for me.

Recently, I revisited this medium to reconnect with my inner child, and I’m excited to upload my first clay video as a tribute to that little version of myself.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justabitunhinged/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTHDYihRdKi8vxfibVymUCw