Meet Kaneesha Worthington-Beasley | Artist & Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kaneesha Worthington-Beasley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kaneesha, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am from a small town , Jackson, TN, but I currently live in Mckinney, Texas. Growing up, my family was always supportive of my interest with the Arts. I would say my mom played a big part of it as well, because she was into creating arts and crafts for our home or church. My mom would decorate our home to match from the curtains down to the sliver ware on the table. If she couldn’t find what she needed in a store, she would make it on her own. This fostered my love and passion to be a creator. I would write poems, make cards, sew pillows as gifts, and even up-cycle my clothes by sewing them to look different. Also, if I needed somethings for my dolls, like clothes or accessories- I would make something on my own out of things I would find around the house.

I can recall growing up in church and always being apart of church plays (I always knew everyone’s line). I was also apart of my church’s praise dance team and every year for Martin Luther King’s birthday, I would recite parts of his “I have a Dream” speech. My church family even let me write and direct my own easter play and create different pictures that they would hang on the wall in the sanctuary.

Looking back at my school years, I was also apart of different “speech” competitions. I would compete with other students in the school district doing play monologues or reciting famous speeches. I never won anything, but I always loved doing things like that. I didn’t really get into drawing until my senior year of high school. My art teacher taught me a lot and would even ask to enter some of my work into art shows.

After high school, arts and crafts kind of no longer was apart of my world. I was dedicated to finishing my degree, working, starting my family, and raising my children. I guess I thought that the Arts was not a good means of making a living and I needed to focus on finding a career.

Things changed for me during quarantine like many other people. I was furloughed from work and I had so much time on my hand. I have been working since I was 16 and this was a time of self reflection. One day after a month of being home, I decided to go to dollar tree and I picked up all different colors of paint, brushes, and foam boards. I went home and attempted to recreate some art I had seen just for fun. Little did I know, my love for the arts had resurfaced. Family and friends encouraged me to continue creating so I began to work on original art and people were interested in purchasing my art! I had friends reach out and encourage me to be apart of pop up shops to sell my art. It went from painting foam boards to investing into myself to start creating digital art pieces. I’ve now done a few pop up shops, sold commissions work, competed in art competitions, and completed my first coloring book (It’s available on amazon!).

I would say in all, my family, teachers, church family, friends, and even strangers to me always encouraged me to continue doing what I love and have impacted the woman I have become.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art is black digital pop art and paintings.

I love to create art that shows confident black/brown women. I want to create art that black women can be proud to see on their walls because they can see themselves.

I have created paintings in the past but my focus lately has been digital art. I am currently most proud of my coloring book I created out of some of my art.( now on Amazon!)

It wasn’t easy getting to this point. It’s been consistency and encouragement to keep creating. I have stepped out of my comfort zone and continue to do so. I have learned that there are others who truly want to see you succeed but that I also have to be consistent if I want to see progress.

I want people to know that I love the Arts and to not limit me to just creating one art form. I want to show people that you can still follow your passion even at the age of 30 and that we are all always evolving.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am definelty a homebody .

If I could recommend anything, it would be Chuy’s – best tex-mex spot!

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?
My mother- Sherry Worthington and family for fostering a creative environment.

My husband- Jerald Beasley for encouraging me to live out my dreams

My brother- Michael Worthington for pushing me to keep creating and giving me ideas and tips to turn this into a lucrative business

Vaneesa Aviles- for purchasing my first sold piece.

Vanessa Beasley- for making me get out of my comfort zone and keep going.

Chastity Gildion- for encouraging me to be apart of pop-up shops and to meet new people

Shatorial Miller – for nominating me to be apart of Shoutout DFW

Website: www.canelapaint.com

Instagram: canela_paint