Artist Spotlight – Kila Salyers Smith

s part of the beautification and visioning projects in Historic Downtown Prosser we’ve purchased 11 fiberglass ponies to be painted by local artists and placed throughout our historic downtown corridor. These ponies have been sponsored by local businesses, organizations and individuals.

We’d like to introduce you to the artists involved in this exciting project!

 

Currently the Visual Arts teacher at Prosser High School.  I have been teaching in Prosser School District since 1996.  I love teaching and learning with my students. It allows me to do art every day.

I have been doing art since I could hold a crayon. I was lucky to have parents who fostered that love and creativity from birth.  My favorite childhood memories include creating miniature food from clay with my sister and helping do bulletin boards or paint windows in my dad’s classroom.

I continued into college getting my first degrees in Graphic Design and Illustration. Many of my client’s still have visible forms of my work displayed in Spokane and Seattle. I have way more school than I care to admit.  I am currently renewing my National Boards in Art this year.

My favorite medium is watercolor and I am drawn to using it in mixed media piece with a reverse technique I learned from a master in college.  I currently am doing pieces from ultrasound images for expectant parents. I love how intimate and personal the images are.

You can find most of my own artwork in the homes of those clients or with my family and friends.  I also do tons of demos in my classroom. My dream is to one day have a one person show but I’d need to slow down some other parts of my life, like parenting and being a “Gumma” to really give that the time it needs.

I was drawn to this project as a way of getting myself out there again.  My sponsor, Mr. Alan Walker is a close personal and professional friend and I am so appreciative to have the freedom to just have fun and play on my piece.  I love Arts in the community and being a piece of that. I also get to share that passion and the process with my students- love that too!