Tender, Love, and Care 2021

Kayla Mahaffey painted ‘Tender, Love and Care’ with what looks like acrylic paint, building up layers to create sharp, clear images. The painting’s surface is super smooth, with colors that pop, almost like a digital illustration but with the warmth of the hand. I am drawn to the contrast between the softness of the pastel shades and the more saturated colors, particularly in the 'XO' letters and the butterflies that emerge around the girl. The juxtaposition of these flat, graphic elements, like the cartoon birds, with the portrait of the girl gives the piece a compelling kind of depth. The girl’s gaze is so direct, and you can see the layers of underpainting that create this beautiful deep skin tone. It reminds me a little of Elizabeth Peyton's portraits in that it captures the essence of childhood, but with a more contemporary pop-art sensibility. Art is such a cool conversation!