Artist Spotlight

Lakendra Huckaby

Wonder is a force which repaints the world in dazzling colors, and artist LaKendra Huckaby brings those colors to light as she finds wonder and beauty in the ordinary.

~ Soul and a Gap ~
Painter, creator, and soon to be fashion icon Lakendra is a force to be reckoned with in the industry. Spanning across multiple mediums, LaKendra’s work includes her music, murals, graffiti, painting, and digital creations. While her mediums are various, the energy behind her work is consistently positive, optimistic, and empowering.

LaKendra discovered her love for creation as a toddler. Her mother was an artist, and would let little LaKendra draw and color while she herself also created. When LaKendra entered high school, she took her first graphic design class, where she began to consider the possibility of making a living doing what she had fallen in love with – creating art. After high school LaKendra continued studying graphic design at CVCC, where she also explored animation and illustration. She then went on to study at the Art Institute of Atlanta, where she gained confidence that she could make it as an artist on her own.

Growing up, LaKendra remembers creating music and singing in church, while traveling often and experiencing a lot as a child in relation to her identity. “I didn’t see myself represented in art or media, such as Disney for example,” she explains. “I grew up thinking something was wrong with me.” She remembers being teased for features such as her nose, lips, and hair texture. “I realized that it was my duty as an artist to make sure little girls growing up didn’t experience the same thing. So my art has been about expressing positive imagery for people who look like me, while also trying to show people ‘You’re beautiful as you are.’” While LaKendra creates artwork for clients of all ethnicities, she says, “We can all relate in that everybody just wants to feel beautiful, seen, and like their voice and identity matters. That’s what I try to get across through my art.”

LaKendra’s art is often inspired by an eye for finding beauty in the realities of life. She remembers riding the metro in New York and seeing the sunrise through the buildings as a beautiful, inspiring sight. “So many of us are always on ‘go.’ So few of us are present. I want to create things that make people stop and notice that the things we see every day are actually beautiful.”

An abandoned lot with flowers growing in it, a face that looks a little different from the rest – LaKendra’s art seems to pause time, and invite the viewer to look closer and see that an ordinary life is beautiful.

LaKendra herself is as colorful as her art, a blend of dazzling confidence and inspiration. After spending some time away from her hometown, she returned to find the city “waking up to artists.” She found that Columbus was realizing the value of artists, and was happy for the chance to re-introduce herself in the Chattahoochee Valley.

And since her return, her art has caught the eye of the local community and far beyond. LaKendra’s successes as an artist include creating several pieces for celebrities, such as R&B artists Miguel and Lion Babe. Actress Taraji P. Henson has shared and supported LaKendra’s art, and LaKendra has been featured on several platforms such as Instagram and Tumblr.

Last February, LaKendra designed the fabric that was worn on the red carpet by Caroline Wanga, the CEO of Essence magazine during the Essence “Black Women in Hollywood” event. “It meant so much to me,” LaKendra recalls. She painted affirmations into the fabric and was honored that Wanga read the affirmations “Love”, “Authentic”, “Power” aloud during an interview, calling the piece an “armor of protection.” LaKendra’s artwork was also worn by a representative of Gertrude “Ma” Rainey on the red carpet when she accepted the late singers Grammy award last year, and an art piece LaKendra created for the Ma Rainey celebration is on display in the Ma Rainey House and Blues Museum (805 5th Ave).

As a musician with a voice full of passion and soul, LaKendra is sure to evoke heavy emotions and nostalgia on every track she touches, under her musical name “GapEe.” You’ll be able to hear her 90s inspiration with a modern twist on her debut project later this year, as well as in the features she does with her fellow artists. When asked where she gets her inspiration, she says “From life.”

“I’ve struggled at several different points with everything from heartbreak and abusive relationships where I didn’t love myself enough to financial issues and family woes,” she says. “I want my music to show every side of life because I feel I have a duty to tell a story.”

LaKendra feels honored by the recognition of her art from the celebrity world, but for her, the local support is the icing on the cake. “I’ve been so supported by the community,” she says. Her first art show, called “I Dream in Color,” took place in the Heritage Art Center. “I expected maybe 40 people,” LaKendra recalls, “And we got about 350 people in the building at one point. It was crazy.”

Whatever the project, LaKendra puts feeling into each piece she creates. Her art is colorful, dreamy, and inherently human. “I like to think of it as emotion moving in organized color,” LaKendra explains. “Life doesn’t always make sense, so sometimes you need something that can help organize and express it for you. My art is an extension of me. So, when you buy original artwork, you’re not just buying something put on a canvas, you’re investing in a piece of somebody’s soul.”

As LaKendra moves into the future, she is working on a fashion line and exploring interactive art and mural projects. She currently offers logos, business branding, website design, letterheads, and original artwork on T-shirts, bags, mugs, canvas, as well as custom portraits. Her artwork is offered both digitally and traditionally. “Anything people come to me for and they need it to be creative, I’m willing to try it,” she laughs.

“As life changes us, it changes our artwork,” she explains. “We’re always growing.” It’s a mindset that keeps her open and fluid, as color moves through her hands to enter the world.

LaKendra’s words of positivity and light are as inspiring as the beautiful art pieces she creates. She offers encouragement to other artists beginning on their journey. “The hardest part is to just start. Know that your voice matters, it has power. You never know where something can land. Let go of the fear and just keep going. You were given your gift for a reason, so live fearlessly, and have fun! Find the thing that makes your soul feel free. Do what you love and it will make room for you.”

As LaKendra has lived out her own truth, our community and world has been blessed by the pieces of her beautiful soul she shares through her art. To enjoy her artwork, check out her social media @huck.jpg on Instagram and @LaKendra Huckaby on Facebook.

Don’t miss her free art show “Eye Move In Color” solo exhibition, on June 1, where she will be presenting her first book and an interactive gallery will feature some of her original pieces as well as live music and plenty of fun for the whole family. Follow her social media and website artofhuck.com for updates and location information.

To hear her music, follow GapEe anywhere you listen.

By Natalie Downey