Meet Cayla Keach | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cayla Keach and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cayla, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
I think imposter syndrome is a normal and common human experience; we have all faced road blocks in our lives, we have all felt discouraged, and we have all had moments where we doubted ourselves and our own capabilities. I think success in anything comes from not only resilience but self reflection. Each obstacle presents itself with the option of growth attached to it. Trouble-shooting a situation, reflecting, and learning from it for the next time; or, reflecting, allowing oneself grace, and finding a different pathway. It’s that reflection aspect that allows you the self-awareness to discern if the discouragement from these obstacles is valid or if it is just the self-doubt that is sabotaging our journey. Nine times out of ten I have found it to be the latter, which means for me, there was never an acceptable reason to give up. The last thing I’ll say on this is that I have been lucky enough to find something I love and can’t imagine my life without, and when you have that it makes it really hard to willingly give it up.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have recently been noticed and am gaining a following of support for my crochet pieces; however, this is a new find for me. I started learning how to crochet in March of this year so only for six months now, and I have fallen in love with it. The first month was a little rough, there was a learning curve of course, trying to grasp the hang of it but now I am so proud of what I am able to create. There is so much room for creative expression in crocheting that I never realized or thought of prior, but I am having a lot of fun thinking up different styles and designs and patterns that I can bring to life and share with others. I do want to mention though that I have always had a pull to creative endeavors and my first love was photography. I have been a professional photographer for about five years now and nothing makes me happier than traveling to a new place and capturing the culture and community through my photos. I also paint and sew; so, when I created my brand “Heimweh” I wanted it to be a place where I could freely explore and share all of my creative outlets and not have it be so ridged on fitting into a box or category. I mean, art is never just one thing. I can’t really say what sets me apart from other artists and creatives, but what I know to be true for me is that every single photo, every painting, every blanket or bag or shirt that I crochet has my heart attached to it, and nothing makes me feel happier than getting to share my heart with others.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am a big morning and daytime activities girl, so even though we might end up in bed by 9, our day will still be jam packed! I love walking around Little Havana, getting some traditional Cuban coffee and pastries is a great start to the day. South Beach during the day of course, getting lunch or an early dinner at Slice if you don’t mind standing in the line (I promise it’s worth the hype). The Yellow Green farmers market in Hollywood is a must, I always take anyone who visits me there. Aguacate Sanctuary of Love is perfect for lunch, yoga, or just to vibe. Crema coffee is my favorite, but there are so many great places to choose from you can’t go wrong. For drinks, anywhere in Wynwood, I prefer a chill vibe.

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?
Collectively, my close friends and family for reassuring me in my ability and reminding me constantly of their support.

Instagram: @ckeach18 & @heimweh.ck

Other: TikTok: @CaylaKeach