The Child In Us 2021

Kayla Mahaffey's "The Child In Us" is a contemporary painting that feels like a vivid dream. The painting's surface has this incredible smoothness, almost like a digital rendering, yet it's undeniably paint, and that tension is magnetic. Look at how she’s handled the light, that soft, almost airbrushed glow, especially around the boy’s face. It's surreal. It's as if the light itself is a character, adding to the overall dreamlike quality. The composition creates this playful tension between realism and complete fantasy. The Pinocchio hat, the bobblehead dolls, the floating heads - all rendered with this hyperreal precision, but existing in a space that defies logic. Each element seems carefully placed, yet the overall effect is one of spontaneity and free association. Mahaffey reminds me a little of Kerry James Marshall in that she's using elements of cartoon and caricature alongside historical painting tropes. Her work embraces a joyful ambiguity, allowing for multiple readings. It feels like an invitation to tap into our own inner child.