Meet Knyliyah Williams 

She doesn’t fit into a style—Knyliyah defines her own.

At just 14 years old, Knyliyah is already making waves in the local arts scene with a style that’s both grounded in realism and rich in personal expression. As a rising ninth grader at Davidson Fine Arts, Knyliyah balances schoolwork with her deep love for digital art and ceramics—two mediums that allow her to bring her ideas to life with both structure and freedom.

Knyliyah’s journey into the arts began in elementary school, inspired by a passionate teacher who sparked her creative curiosity. Over time, art became more than a hobby—it became a way to see the world. “Where people see a mess, I see art,” she says, reflecting on how creativity has shaped her perspective. Her work has grown more complex over the years, and she now takes on commissioned pieces, including personal family portraits.

When starting a new project, Knyliyah turns to the world around her for inspiration—other artists, her community, and even the quiet details of everyday life. She finds images that speak to her and reimagines them through her own lens. “I search for art that is inspiring to me or that speaks to me, and then I recreate it in the way it speaks to me,” she explains.

Armed with her Apple Pencil and a clear creative vision, she builds pieces that often reflect her love for realism and detail. Her favorite moments as an artist have come when others connect with her work—like auctioning a piece at Jesse Norman School for $175, or completing a commissioned family portrait.

While she doesn’t plan to pursue art full-time, Knyliyah definitely sees it as part of her future. Her current goal is to build more opportunities through commissions and one day share her art internationally—Europe, with its deep artistic roots, is top of her list.