Kelsey Montague: Street Artist Asks #WhatLiftsYou

Kelsey Montague is an international street artist renowned for blending street art and social media. Kelsey’s murals invite spectators to stop and step into her whimsical creations to answer the question #WhatLiftsYou. We are thrilled to have this Smart Girl share her process and journey with our readers at home.

Over and over, I walked into galleries. Every time, I asked to speak to the manager and explained what kind of art I did, sketchbook in hand. Over and over, I was rejected. At the last gallery I went to in New York, the woman behind the desk didn’t even bother to look up when she told me they weren’t looking for any new artists.

It was at that moment I decided — no more. I wasn’t going to depend on a few people’s ideas of what was important or unimportant in art. I was going to go my own way.

Then came Instagram and my life changed. Instagram allowed me to express myself, to have my own voice. I suddenly started to get more and more followers, and more and more people were giving me feedback on my work. No longer did I have to rely on one or two opinions. People ‘vote’ for what they like on Instagram by who they follow and what they favorite. I realized that Instagram is the democratization of art and I was being voted for.

Then came my move to street art. I had always been obsessed with the great street artists (Banksy, Shepard Fairey etc). All men. All making strong social statements in ironic and sometimes dark ways. What if a woman did street art but created a different message? A message designed to get people to think and to inspire them?

Doing my first piece on that street corner in NYC was the most frightened I have ever been. The piece was huge, 14 ft x 10 ft and Mashable was interested in what I was up to, so they came to watch and video me. I remember shaking when I started drawing.

But after it was done and I added the name of the piece (#WhatLiftsYou), everything changed. Taylor Swift, Vanessa Hudgens, and thousands of people took a photo with the piece and posted it to Instagram. All of sudden, I was getting calls to do work, to do what I loved for individuals, brands, and cities.

Now, with a coloring book for adults coming out and a thriving art installation business with my operations-savvy sister, I am living my dreams every day.

So the next time someone puts you down — use it as fuel to go after your dreams. Never let it stop you!

See Kelsey’s work by visiting her Instagram and make sure to check out her new coloring book for adults on Amazon.

BONUS: Print out and color in Kelsey’s crown coloring page!

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Smart Girls, #WhatLiftsYou? Tell us by tweeting @smrtgrls or by commenting below!

All images courtesy of Kelsey Montague