Jaede Bayala is a queer Puerto Rican artist based in Kansas City. They are pursuing their BFA in Painting at the Kansas City Art Institute (class of 2026). Bayala uses a broad range of materials to engage a diverse audience, with the core of their work revolving around themes of identity, the natural world, and Puerto Rican culture.

In describing their art practice, Bayala says,

In my work, I use a diverse range of materials, addressing themes of identity, the natural world, and Puerto Rican culture. Connecting with the outdoors has significantly impacted not only my work but also my life, allowing me to find peace and comfort. As a queer Latina, I often find myself navigating a deep sense of in-betweenness—a feeling that art and time spent in nature help me to work through the complexities of what comfort can be. It is through my practice that I can reconnect with my culture and celebrate its diversity. Growing up in the Midwest, but also having ties to an island, has given me the chance to find appreciation in the differences of these environments.

In my practice, I explore ideas of place and placeness, focusing on how memory shapes the way places are remembered and represented. I am interested in the ways personal experiences of a place can be translated. Memory plays a key role in my practice, allowing me to reimagine elements of places such as islands, flowers, and coastlines, through painting. I also incorporate natural materials, such as sand, to anchor these places in a physical and tactile way.