Today we’d like to introduce you to Mallory Kennedy.
Hi Mallory, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Little Mallory always took pieces of nature home with her back home in rural Illinois. She would use crayons to make leaf impressions on construction paper, tie sticks together with dental floss to create mobiles and store the most sculptural-looking stones on a treasure shelf in her bedroom. I still appreciate the outdoors from my childhood, and I want to share that with the people around me. Creating an environment that supports your growth and well-being is best accomplished in natural spaces. I want to share my art to exhibit the pride and opportunity I’ve found here in South Carolina.
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I moved here and began studying biology in 2015, but I started suppressing my creativity to focus on studying. Not creating artwork was taking something foundational away from me, but I wasn’t taking enough time to realize it. I found myself in depression during college, and the connection I had to my childhood self had all but disappeared. I was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which gave a name to all the complex feelings I’d had my entire life. Thankfully, once I graduated in 2020, the skills I’d abandoned became a part of my life. I began creating again as stress relief and for self-expression, and I sought out therapy. I explored several different types of media, including watercolor, collage, air-dry clay, and pyrography. Ultimately, the slow process of making careful, permanent burns onto wood was the best fit for me. Now, I realize that I can healthily process my struggles through creative outlets and even help others find charm in the world around them.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Mallory Lane Art is a small creative business that makes its impressions on local craft markets and social media. I create wood-burned items by hand and with an Ortur laser engraving machine named Larry. Larry Laser can etch my digitally drawn creations onto various handmade, thrifted, and purchased items. Some collections I’ve created include the Holy City series, which includes six iconic Charleston places of worship, popular on coasters. Other well-received items are the Shark Tooth bowls and dishes and the actual shark teeth it’s based on, suspended in resin necklaces. The Orchids series, based on pictures I took at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, was burned onto mirrors and stamps for greeting cards. My most popular artwork, however, is my pet portrait. I can render a charismatic, simple linework workup of my client’s beloved friend and then engrave it onto various keepsakes. It has been so special to be a part of memorials, gift-giving, and the creation of personal mementos. I pride myself on creating my designs and finding ways to enhance the materials I’m burning.
Are any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Holy City Brewing and The Event Cooperative were instrumental in launching Mallory Lane Art. The markets they organized allowed me to make lasting connections with other locals and mingle with highly talented creatives. I’ve carefully curated my Instagram and Threads algorithm, which is filled with Charleston art, high fashion, science, and news. My favorite podcast is Ologies by Alie Ward, a science podcast about numerous subjects, from cosmology to vampirology. I’ve also been inspired to think about fashion, sustainability, and design by having recently subscribed to Vogue and listening to their podcast, The Run-Through. I’m interested in anything that expands my interests and encourages me to keep learning.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mallorylaneart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mallorylaneart2
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mallorylaneart
Image Credits
Mallory Kennedy
