KIMBERLY DOUGLAS

"AS I GET OLDER, I AM ACTIVELY MAKING THE DECISION TO FREE MYSELF FROM THE EXPECTATIONS OTHERS HAVE IMPOSED ON ME AND GIVE MYSELF THE GRACE TO BE WHO I AM DESTINED TO BE"

I’d have to describe my art as storytelling. Visual art, creative writing, and photography are all mediums I use to express stories that I want to bring to life. Art allows me to communicate my perspective and experiences in a way that allows my creativity to flourish. As a Black artist, these forms of creative expression allow me to explore and express my identity, and the experiences of my community. Through photography, I am able to highlight the beauty, resilience, and diversity of Blackness. My drawings and writing allow me to depict Black representation and Black characters in other ways.

I believe in the importance of uplifting and representing the Black experience in what I do, and I definitely seek to capture this in most, if not all of my work. My experiences of trauma and oppression are also integrated into my art, because they have beArt has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up in an artistic household, I was always encouraged to express myself in unique and creative ways. The performing arts, mainly music, was my first encounter with art at a very young age. From waking up to Gospel music and a day of cleaning on Saturday mornings to hearing Reggae classics at family BBQs, music has been there for me through every phase, emotion, and memory. Music allows me to feel connected to the rich history, cultures, talents, and stories that intertwined to make me who I am; It is for this reason that I consider music to be my “first love”.

In my preteen years, poetry became my favourite literary medium and an art form that I love so dearly. Having an outlet that allows me to speak my truth, nurture my inner child, and reflect on my experiences as a Black woman is something I will never take for granted. I really love that throughout my life, art has always afforded me the freedom to define my Blackness in a way that feels personal to me. The ability to create free from monolithic stereotypes, expectations, and who the world thinks I am or believes I should be; is truly a privilege.

Growing up as a Black artist, I always felt pressure to work twice as hard as my non-Black counterparts, convince others of my talent, or prove someone wrong. Being Black meant my performance couldn’t simply be good, I had to be extraordinary. Often being one of few Black women in the many realms of my art, my struggle to stand out mainly stemmed from the urge to break free from this pressure and challenge the idea that my art has to look a certain way or draw attention to social issues, simply because I am a Black artist. I continue to overcome these challenges daily by choosing to be my authentic self, unapologetically. I often remind myself that the gifts I possess are valuable, and as long as I continue to create from a place of passion and authenticity, I’m staying true to myself; which has always been the ultimate goal. The beautiful thing about being unique is that just as nobody can be me, I would never wish to be anyone else, and that is my power.

In 2020, I created and launched my online poetry portfolio and business, “Poetry by Kimberly Daniella'' (www.poetrybykd.com) PbyKD is one of my most fulfilling milestones to date because it’s completely mine and allows me to share my craft and accomplishments freely which is something that will have a place in my heart forever.