Looking to add a little excitement to your dining room? How about that mural you’ve always wanted to see in your home? Want the perfect and aesthetic way to fill that big empty space on your wall? Or maybe you just want to give the gift of art?

Well, Kayla Goldstein of Designs by Kay can bring those ideas to life with her customizable artwork designed just for you.

The process begins with Kayla meeting her clients and having as many consultations as necessary in order to determine what they want. Sometimes clients come with a very specific idea or picture of what they would like painted. Other times they will simply show Kayla the space where they’d like her to create something and seek her help in finding the right image for it. Preferences and color schemes are discussed, and Kayla will often search online for additional inspiration. She often envisions some type of collage that would incorporate various elements and designs, and once her clients decide on an image the process moves forward.

Kayla regularly looks within Judaism for inspiration, especially seeking different nuances of various topics. “I’m a very visual person and it [the nuances] makes everything 3D. I take my inspiration from trying to look at things differently, hoping to depict them from a different angle to make people think differently and not just in black and white.”

While Kayla’s specialty is Judaica—she designed a ketubah for her sister’s wedding and a collage of Gedolim for another client—she’s also been hired to paint specific images, including lakeside views, scenes from Israel or particular flowers. Kayla’s aim is to create something that never gets boring for people so every time they walk into the room, they’re wowed and just keep loving it. She wants her work to feel new and exciting to her clients every time they look at it.

A native of Bergenfield, Kayla first started painting professionally last year, creating murals, ketubahs, baby gifts and portraits for people all over Bergen County. Fueled by creativity, she created inviting spaces for her clients where they could spend time with family and friends while enjoying the beauty on their walls.

For Kayla, art must be something more meaningful than just a painting on a wall. “I really want to make people feel something or think something when they see my work…that people kind of have to scratch their heads a little bit when they look at it, which will bring them to new understandings about themselves, the world around them or even their spirituality.”

Completely self-taught, Kayla knew she wanted to pursue art since she was a freshman in Bruriah High School. With her passion driving her, she spent a considerable amount of time honing her craft with endless hours of practice, watching YouTube videos, engaging in online tutorials and basic trial and error.

Having just returned from her gap year in Israel at MMY, Kayla will attend Touro in the fall and hopes to pursue her dream of a career in art therapy. She sees it as the ideal way to mix her interest in psychology with her passion for art. “I really think I could help people because I definitely view art as a form of expression. I want to make a difference using the things that I love—which is art.”

Kayla charges $20-$25 per hour (excluding supplies) depending on the scope, size and intricacy of the project. To contact her, call 201-925-3928, email [email protected] or visit her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/_artbykay_/.