We had the good fortune of connecting with Kayle A. Martinez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kayle A., is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Honestly… depression, anxiety, loneliness, the poor man’s mentality, love, fear, the things no one seems to want to talk about or are tough to deal with. I created DAUNT Studio on the basis that each work of art expresses or evokes a certain emotion or controversial thought and that hopefully just one of my pieces genuinely speaks to one person out there in the world. My business has just gotten started—although I’ve been creating all my life—so I don’t have a ton to show, but the success of my brand depends on me honestly expressing myself through materials and mediums that are also just as easily unwanted and tough to deal with. That’s what makes DAUNT Studio such a #DAUNTINGEXPERIENCE.

Please tell us more about your art. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I gotta tell ya, I have a massive 6 foot sculptural painting of tits hanging in my living room right now—this is the one I am most proud of. I worked on this painting for about 6 months, working the molding paste and reworking it and detail painting and then basically completely mushing paint into it in frustration, inch by inch. In short, the piece represents feminism and the strength we as women now have to say “MY EYES ARE UP HERE” (the title of the piece) in every sense of the phrase. As I’ve stated, all of my work means something, but it took me a long time to become vulnerable enough to not only put mental images onto canvas, but to also explain the emotions behind each piece. I’ve gone through every single thought and feeling that my paintings evoke, so imagine me going through all of it all over again, but instead of wallowing, I throw it at a canvas, block of wood, of slab of clay, and then write a few sentences about it—it is hard, but simultaneously freeing. The descriptions of all my paintings’ meaning and intent can be found with each individual one on my website; I also have a blog-style tab on my website where I go deeper into the processes of things that I create (if I could only remember to update it more frequently). Other than that,

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This has actually happened to me and I took her (the best friend) bar hopping in Little 5 Points. There’s no place in Atlanta more diverse and liberating. You want a tattoo at 5 pm? Go to Little 5 Points. You want to support local artists and bands at 1 in the morning? Go to Little 5 Points. You want a handmade bracelet and free incense? Go to Little 5 Points. You wanna get sloshed and eat food that makes no sense put together? Go to Little 5 Points. Yes I have experienced all of these things. And then end the night at Jack’s Pizza, everyone. That is all. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
@MastermindMarz, the man that literally used to force me out of bed to go to my 8am lectures at SCAD. The man that would rather keep the blinds open than closed. The man that sees beauty in every part of me and everything I touch, despite my personal resistance. The man that is also an amazing visionary, videographer, and photographer all on his own who manages to somehow be my biggest supporter.

Website: https://www.dauntstudio.com/

Instagram: @DAUNTStudio

Facebook: @DAUNTStudio

Other: Personal: @KayleAMartinez

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