Interview with horror artist and filmmaker, Destiny Kelly
Can you tell us about yourself and your work?
I’m Destiny Kelly, a Texas based visual artist from Southern California who creates both traditional and digital mixed media horror artwork. I’m 23 years old and have been making art since I was about 11 years old. I love drawing portraits featuring my favorite horror characters and experimenting with color in my pieces. Some of the most common mediums I use for my traditional artwork include markers, colored pencils, acrylic paint, and watercolors. I also make my own indie horror short films, such as "Pumpkin Fever", a Halloween short I wrote and directed in 2020.
What was the first thing you encountered that made you fall in love with horror?
I was exposed to horror at a young age through my dad’s movie collection. When I watched A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), my first horror film, I was really excited to see a female character lead in such an iconic film and I was fascinated with Wes Craven’s artistic style. Horror instantly became my favorite genre because it was the place where women got to be badass and filmmakers got to have fun scaring people in the most insanely creative ways.
What does the horror community mean to you?
The horror community is so important to me because it made me realize just how influential the genre is for people from all backgrounds and walks of life. The horror community inspired me to pursue my goals as a horror creator, and I would not be where I am today without the support of so many people in the community. They've continuously given me the kind of motivation and encouragement that I could never get from people who aren’t fans of horror, and I’m so grateful.
Who are your biggest artistic influences?
When it comes to my drawings, I’m heavily inspired by the horror movie posters of the 1980s. They are full of color and have such a cool aesthetic. Artist Matthew Joseph Peak, who did the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise posters, is a huge inspiration for me. I’m also a fan of Kyle Lambert, who more recently nailed that 80s horror poster style with his work on the Stranger Things promotional art. I'm super obsessed with neon color schemes in horror, and there’s an artist named Zachary Jackson Brown who incorporates such vibrant colors into his pieces and I’m always so inspired by them.
As a filmmaker, my biggest artistic influences are definitely Wes Craven, James Wan, and Jordan Peele. I have to give so much credit to these three directors for making my appreciation for the art of horror filmmaking so much stronger.
What have been some of your favourite pieces that you have created?
One of my favorite art pieces that I’ve created is my “Jordan Peele Tribute” digital painting. It’s a mashup of Get Out (2017) and Us (2019), and both films mean a lot to me because of their incredible Black representation. I also love my werewolf “transformation” piece I made for a Trick ‘r Treat (2007) art exhibit last Halloween. It is one of the most detailed traditional pieces I’ve ever done and I’m really proud of how it came out.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting out in your career?
I would tell someone first starting off as a horror artist to always remain driven by passion and create the things that you would like to see more of in the genre. Your unique contributions to horror are more important than you think, no matter how small those contributions may seem.
If you could collaborate with any artist (horror or not), who would you collaborate with and why?
If I could collaborate with any artist, I would have to choose Jordan Peele. Whether it’s to create artwork for one of his films or to work on a film with him, either would be a dream come true. He's got such a creative mind and I would love to feed off of his ideas and see what kind of horror we could conjure up together.
What are you working on in 2022?
This year I’m working on a lot more traditional mixed media artwork and experimenting with new mediums. I'm always looking to learn something new and grow as an artist. I'll also be doing commissions for people in the horror community and creating art for exhibits as usual. I’m working on a few horror screenplays as well, all centered around Black characters. One is a werewolf horror/romance short film that I’m really proud of, and I'll definitely be submitting it to some horror screenwriting competitions. I’m excited to start getting more eyes on my work.
