PREVIEW: Isla’s Notebook brings a 12-year-old’s art to life
03/08 @ 50 4th Street, Troy
"My art is my dreams." - Isla Kai
Isla’s Notebook, the first solo show by 12-year-old Isla Kai, is coming to Troy, NY!
This special pop-up exhibition from Collar Works will feature Isla's emotive and poetic paintings and drawings this Saturday, March 8th, from 2 to 4 p.m. at 50 4th St. The event will include delicious food from The Pony Show, delectable treats from Honest Weight Food Co-op, and energetic tunes by DJ Intell Hayesfield.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation has played a vital role in Isla’s journey and, in gratitude, 50% of all art and t-shirt sales will be donated to Make-A-Wish of Northeast New York.
Over the past year, Isla’s artistic world has expanded in unexpected ways. What started as doodles on school worksheets, playing cards, and even stuffed animals has grown into a bold, expressive, and full-of-movement body of work.
Her artwork blends color, energy, and calligraphic, graffiti-like lines, creating a visual language that is unique to Isla and her vibrant spirit. Each piece reads like poetry and captures emotion and motion in a way that is entirely her own.
Based in Albany, NY, Isla lives with her family and her dog, Pockets. She has always seen the world differently, discovering beauty in the smallest details, whether in nature, film, or the people around her. Isla was never one to follow a traditional path; she carves her own, thinking beyond the expected and letting her creativity guide the way.
She dreams of becoming an artist in the future, but this show celebrates the artist she already is. It is a chance to step into her world, see through her eyes, and experience the dreamlike movement of her work firsthand.
For more information on the event, please contact Isla's mom, Noelle, at noelledgentile@gmail.com.
To read Isla's touching Wish story, visit Isla's Story - Make-A-Wish® Northeast New York