Born and raised on Chicago's South Side, Kayla Mahaffey (also known as KaylaMay) is quickly becoming one of the city's most sought-after artists with her unique blend of flat, cartoon elements with brilliant photorealism. Mahaffey's work gives voice to the unheard stories of contemporary youth and, as elucidated by the artist, "serves as a guide to bring hope back into our daily lives by cherishing each moment not in the mindset of an adult, but with the fresh eyes and imagination of a child.”