Deep strokes from side to side in an array of colors molding and changing in the light becoming something and then reshaping into another unique new form. His eyes sparkle from the moment it begins. Two twinkles in a face that has experienced life in all its ups and downs like a rollercoaster he didn’t wait in line to ride. It starts slowly and picks up speed like life as it continues and time somehow becomes meaningless.

With a crinkle in his brow and a paintbrush in hand, Kennith Humphrey creates because that is all he wishes to do.

Humphrey likes to experiment with his art and try new and exciting techniques to keep it fresh and innovative. His work crosses spectrums of realism, cubism and abstract in multiple colors, acrylics and mediums. Working with his hands is optimal for his creative yearnings, and sometimes he ventures into sculptures depending on how he feels from day to day. His mood guides him through an artistic landscape of options.

“I don’t know if that sounds weird or not, but it’s just what it is,” Humphrey said. “I just paint my mood.”

Making mistakes might be a big deal to some people, but Humphrey welcomes the gaffes and said they are his favorite part of the process.

“It’s like a jigsaw puzzle,” Humphrey said.

He may go into a piece with an idea in his mind, but once he examines the mistakes he makes at the onset of the process, the piece often goes into a completely different direction because he perceives something else on the canvas.

“That’s the joy of it,” Humphrey said. “By the time you’re done with the painting, it’s a whole different painting than when you first started off.”

The image will take on a completely new existence once he gets the color on the canvas.

“It’s almost like it has a life of its own,” Humphrey said. ”Once you start painting, it transforms into something else that you had no idea or clue. It’s very interesting.”

Everyday situations give him inspiration to create. Keeping up with the news is important to him and staying informed is significant to his inspiration. Good economy or bad economy, either way a picture can come out of the situation the world is encountering.

Whether its escapism or facing the current world climate, it is a constant source of inspiration.

“Sometimes that kind of brings up a lot of things you want to paint,” Humphrey said. “Sometimes you want to get away from all that.”

The state of the economy is more than just an inspiration but also a factor in the business side of his work. Since the economy dropped in 2008 his sales have suffered. He doesn’t look to supplement his income though. The income generated by his work is sufficient, and he doesn’t plan on changing his career path or detouring elsewhere.

“It really has slowed down a lot. It’s very sad,” Humphrey said. “That’s mainly what I mean, I paint by mood. Very strange times.”

Humphrey’s art is available nationwide, but the Vicksburg resident has many pieces at the Attic Gallery, 1101 Washington St.

From a young age Humphrey began drawing and painting, and he has continued throughout his life. He never thought he’d make a living out of it, but he has always used creating art as an outlet.

“It kind of calms my nerves,” Humphrey said.

He isn’t particularly attached to any one of his pieces more than others. However, when he sees his work hung in offices or buildings he has become impressed in retrospect, “I’m like, man, did I paint that?”

Sometimes it’s hard to recognize the quality of the work so soon after having completed it, and it can have a greater impact over time. He admits there have been times when it was hard to let go of a piece, but it’s his job to sell his work and eventually they are all sold.

He equates it to building a beautiful home. Even though the builder may want to move in himself, it’s his business to sell it to someone else.

“You’re not allowed to keep it,” Humphrey said.

Humphrey doesn’t collaborate with other artists because it is not easy for him to be around a lot of people, but he does like the fact he is comfortable working solo. Sometimes his nature of being standoffish, he thinks, has leads to criticism that he doesn’t want to have a relationship with the public, but he said that is not true, its just not in his skillset to speak in front of crowds. Being around multitudes of people is just uncomfortable for him and its something others have had a hard time understanding about him.

“I just don’t have that skill,” Humphrey said.

With his name being known as an artist, it brings in unwanted criticism when others try to evaluate him and his choices. People think they know him because they know his work, but he said there is much more there than meets the eye.

“You know me, and I don’t even know me,” Humphrey said. “That kind of thing, but hey that’s the way it is.”

He calls himself dull, but his work says otherwise.

“Everyone has a hard life, but only I can tell my story of how hard my life was and still is,” Humphrey said. “All that weighs on you.”

Born and raised in Vicksburg, Humphrey alludes to tough times, but stops short of elaborating on the experiences he has had. No doubt those experience influence his work every day.

The act of creating is simply enough for Humphrey.