The Skate Artist

Now though, she’s fully aware of the rich history and popularity of the sport, not to mention the benefits it has brought her. “I feel powerful,” she explains. “It makes me feel really confident in myself – larger than life. I have a lot of anxiety but when I’m on my roller skates, I’m not anxious.” Simply put, she says: “as soon as I put on my roller skates, I become a different person.”

Originally from Toronto, Canada and now living in Montreal, Kayla has an impressive portfolio of art work. Known as Milkbox (a moniker she thought would be funny due to her lactose intolerance), the street artist gained recognition early on for her talents whilst studying at OCAD University in Toronto. Although she only graduated from art school in May last year, a roster of big name clients, such as Tim Hortons, Uber Eats and Hilton Hotels & Resorts were already under her belt. “I think I definitely had a bit of an ego because of that,” she says candidly. In an unexpected way, failing at – and then ultimately nailing – tricks in the skate park, has also progressed and grown her attitude to her artwork.

It’s not just the mentality and discipline of the sport though that has had a lasting impact on her work. Kayla is a fan of incorporating her roller skates into painting murals when possible. “A year ago, I assisted an artist called Birdo on a big ground mural and I could wear my roller skates the whole time. It was so fun… I felt so iconic,” she smiles, describing how she’d whizz across the car park to grab buckets of paint. Blending her passion for roller skating and painting murals is something she hopes to do more of in the future.

Assisting internationally acclaimed street artists, such as Okuda San Miguel, Alfalfa and Ola Volo, has led to her developing her skills as a mural artist. In her own work, she likes to add hidden messages referencing one of her favourites: a beautiful and vibrant painting of a man, framed within a gold mirror adorned with strawberries and flowers, which was inspired by a close friend. “He’s beautiful but so insecure. I just wanted him to see the way I see him when he looks in the mirror.” It’s also an image advocating self-love, she explains.

“There’s always middle-aged ladies stopping me to say their piece about how they used to roller skate and I see little kids tugging on their parent’s arms and pointing at me. That makes me feel so good.” “I feel like… whatever it feels like for a runway model,” she says with a big laugh. “I’m in the middle of the street, wearing my roller skates, doing little tricks, jumping on and off of the kerb and people are looking at me. I’m blasting my headphones. I definitely feel like I’m in a film. It just feels super empowering.”

One look at her dedicated roller skating Insta account: @addictedtoskates, and there’s definitely evidence of an aesthetic that wouldn’t look out of place in a movie. Then there are the roller skating parties that sound like they’re straight out of a ’90s film. “It was super DIY. We messaged on a group chat and then just showed up with some speakers and lights from the dollar store.” Sparklers, glowsticks, retro shorts and crop tops, along with a big dose of fun and mischief added to the vibe.

For Kayla, there’s been a real synergy between her passions of roller skating and art, but the gains have also spread out further into her life. “I think a lot of people struggle with confidence, especially [when] having difficult conversations with clients or putting yourself out there. I get so much confidence from roller skating because I’m learning new tricks, building a new foundation and getting all this validation. I can come home feeling really great – like I’ve done something – and that feeling transfers over to other parts of my life.”