Wife of 17 years and mother of two, Karla (Kay) Kelman is an artist and art educator at Southlands Christian Schools in Rowland Heights, CA. Originally from the Caribbean, her family migrated to Brooklyn, New York in the early 1990s during her middle school years. Prior to the pursuit of her degree in Graphic Design at Oral Roberts University and Oklahoma State University, her art experience was self taught. At the age of 9, she stumbled upon a tourist on her tiny island of Grenada creating a plein air painting. The movement of his brush strokes upon the canvas mesmerized 
her and in that moment, she fell in love with the craft. Her hope is to paint that same passion for the arts upon the hearts and lives of her students, and everyone who crosses her path. Her vision is to bring value to art education by facilitating meaningful community connections for her students, and raising the bar of expectation for who they are and who they can become. By first establishing and building relationships with her students, she constructs a working space for coaching and mentorship. Students are very aware that she is interested in them first as individuals, then as young artists. Daily, her students are addressed by their first names upon entering and existing the classroom. Music is always playing in the background while students work. The atmosphere is relaxed and engaging, while positivity and encouragement are responses to challenging situations. Her work at Southlands has afforded her the opportunity to pour into the lives of young men and women who will create their own future with more than just their brush-strokes. Kelman has been quoted as saying, “I thank God everyday that I stumbled upon this school. SCS believes that creativity is an important component student learning. They provide students (and teachers) the opportunity to spread their wings and fly into their God-given destinies. So I am spreading my wings and teaching students how to do the same.
Please visit my website at http://www.nakedcanvasart.com.
Celebrating Art 