KAYLA'S STORY

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Kayla Neufeld Gowans (b. 1990) is a self-taught Canadian artist based in the small town of Agassiz, British Columbia, where she lives with her husband and their two wonderfully feral children. Working in both large-scale figurative painting and fantastical surrealism, Kayla creates work that moves between emotional storytelling, dreamlike imagery, and the delightfully absurd. She is also known for her whimsical “critter” series, a playful collection of ridiculous, endearing creatures that has become a signature part of her practice.

Deeply inspired by her family, her community, and the everyday chaos and tenderness of her life, Kayla often features her children and close friends throughout her work. Her paintings blend sincerity with imagination, transforming familiar moments into mythic scenes and inviting viewers into worlds where reality and fantasy comfortably overlap.

From her home studio, Kayla continues to build a vibrant, ever-evolving body of work that reflects the magic hiding in everyday life.