Coloring the community one window, parking space at a time

BY KADIE TAYLOR

THE LAFAYETTE SUN

LAFAYETTE — Local artist Kayla Snow paints the Chambers County Community with color and creativity with her business, Thompson & Co.

“It all started because I was a volunteer art teacher at Chambers Academy, where my girls go,” Snow said. “Then my friend Jennifer Graves, who started Give Me Some Sugar, started doing the boutiques, and I started putting my paintings in there. Then I started doing the windows, and it kind of just blew up from there.”

With her business Thompson & Co., Snow offers customers a variety of artistic products.

“I do anything art related,” she said. “I do banners, window art, murals, I did the senior parking spots and I also can teach art. I do art lessons at the school. Really anything art-related.”

Snow said she has not always been an artist, but she began painting while recovering from a back injury.

“My mom and my brother were artists as well, but I really wasn’t an artist growing up in my earlier years,” she said. “I didn’t really paint that much, but then I hurt my back really badly, and when I would sit down to heal, I would paint, and that’s when it really took off.”

Much of Snow’s art can be seen around LaFayette in businesses, on windows and much more. Snow said she enjoys seeing her art in public spaces for her community to enjoy.

“It means the world to me,” she said. “In LaFayette, a lot of people stopped me and thanked me for making their town beautiful and just spreading the love of art to the farm community. If I’m able to add a Bible verse, ‘love like Jesus’ or ‘thank God,’ I always do, because God is really who gave me this talent. It’s awesome when I eat, drive through town or drive anywhere, and my art is everywhere.”

Snow said she is working on painting the bathrooms in Huguley Elementary School and enjoys knowing her art will be uplifting for young students who need encouragement.

“What I’m doing now at Huguley Elementary is special to me because I am painting inspirations in the bathrooms,” she said. “Sometimes when people have a hard time in school, they go to the bathroom to cry, and now there’s a bunch of uplifting inspiration.”

Snow said she wants to encourage those who are interested in art but do not believe they are good at it to keep practicing and trying, because eventually they will get better.

“I know a lot of people will tell me they can’t even draw a stick figure, but I tell [them] some days I can’t either,” she said. “Just keep practicing, and the more you keep doing it, the better you get, just like with anything.”

Through her time and dedication painting the community, Snow said that she has felt support and encouragement from her family and the community.

“I am thankful for the opportunity and the support of the community, as well as my girls and my husband,” she said. “The outpouring of love is just amazing. I don’t know what else to say, besides, thank you for all of it, everything.”

For more information, visit Thompson & Co on Facebook or call (334) 540-5216.