Davis-based artist Kendall Kennedy launches monthly print club

The UC Davis student artist discussed their approach to art  

By LAILA AZHAR — features@theaggie.org 

In “Drowning in Fire,” torn pieces of The California Aggie sit on a 24-by-30 inch canvas against oil-painted flames and fragments of a vinyl record. Kendall Kennedy, a fourth-year art studio major and the Davis-based artist behind the piece, cites it as one of their favorite works. 

“I grabbed The California Aggie, and I was reading through it, and there were so many little quotes and things that caught my eye,” Kennedy said. “I was like, I’ll use this and I’ll throw it on a canvas and go crazy. And I got this vinyl from Armadillo Records in downtown. It’s ‘The Living Constitution of the United States,’ and I just thought it was a good political commentary.” 

As their childhood friend, Madison Yelton, recalled, Kennedy has been passionate about art since childhood. 

“Kendall has been an artist since I met them in sixth grade,” Yelton said. “I feel like for most artsy people I knew in K-12, it is a passion that dies out because stress, work and school get in the way, but Kendall embedded their love for art within everything they have done.” 

Lately, much of their work has centered around childhood and nostalgia. 

“For Christmas, my mom gifted me a USB full of family photos that I’d never seen, like 10,000 photos,” Kennedy said. “So I’ve been sifting through those as reference to paint, to recreate photos and retrace family history.” 

A recent painting titled “Rainbow,” for example, depicts Kennedy at age 5, standing in front of lush trees and parked cars, a rainbow looming in the background. Kennedy has worked in mediums ranging from printed t-shirts to sketches, but generally find themselves drawn to more tactile forms of art, particularly painting. 

“The mediums that I’m most drawn to are more messy,” Kennedy said. “Like, painting is messy. I’m not into things that aren’t tactile enough.” 

As an extension of that appreciation for hands-on art, Kennedy recently launched a print club, which sends subscribers from eight different states a monthly 5-by-7 print along with small surprise gifts. The most recent package included a print of “Rainbow,” a plantable paper, a sticker sheet and a note from Kennedy which included local nonprofits in all of the states with print club members. 

This month’s print club issue resonated with Yelton. 

“In this month’s edition, there is a print inspired from a childhood photo of Kendall,” Yelton said. “This print was so special to me because it absolutely resonates with experiences growing up in the Carolinas.” 

Kennedy explained why they decided to start their print club. 

“I wanted to get my art out there,” Kennedy said. “I’m anxious about graduating and what the future is with my art. So I was like, ‘What is a good, affordable, accessible way to get my art out there to people?’ And also, the world is so depressing right now. What can I do to bring just a little bit of joy to people and have some human connection? Especially in this [artificial intelligence] time that we’re in, I think people really value human touch.” 

Kennedy aims to bring excitement to the experience of opening the package of prints. 

“You get junk mail all the time, and it’s like, ‘This goes right in the trash,’” Kennedy said. “So it’s nice to get something fun; it brightens your mood.”

For Yelton, this has absolutely been the case. 

“When I saw that Kendall was doing [a] print club, I was so excited to get more art for my home,” Yelton said. “I love to decorate my fridge with mail from friends, so this was perfect.” 

Kennedy has also volunteered and interned at the Pence Gallery and the Third Space Art Collective gallery. For them, the Davis art scene presents exciting opportunities, especially compared to their hometown in North Carolina.

“I grew up in a rural area, [so] art is not really a big part of the community,” Kennedy said. “So when I moved here, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s everywhere.’” 

Those interested in viewing Kennedy’s portfolio and staying up to date with their work can visit their website kendallmkennedy.com and their Instagram @kendallk.studio.  

Written by: Laila Azhar — features@theaggie.org