Karena “Kidd” Graves
kg.sculpt22@gmail.com
Portfolio: Karenakiddgraves.com | Instagram.com/kiddkreates
Greensboro, NC, 27406
EDUCATION
2023 - Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture, East Carolina University
2019 - Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 - Omens - The Bottom, Knoxville, TN
- Fish Dreams Thesis Exhibition - Greenville Museum of Art, Greenville, NC
CURATORIAL INVITATIONS
2026 - Visiting Artist, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
2025 - Eastern North Carolina Scholastic Achievement Awards, Greenville, NC
2025 - Visiting Artist, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
2024 - Visiting Artist, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
2021 - COSO (Contemporary South) Biennial, Raleigh, NC
PUBLICATIONS
2025 - North Carolina Literary Review- Eastern North Carolina, Greenville, NC
2022 - Future Tense Exhibition - Surface Design Journal, Surface Design Association, Albuquerque, NM
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
2025 - Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts - Gatlinburg, TN
- Madison Manufacturing Art Park - Mars Hill, NC
2022 - Floyd Arts Center - Floyd, VA
2021 - East Carolina University - Greenville, NC
AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIPS
2022 - Future Tense Exhibition - Surface Design Journal, Albuquerque, NM
- Angel Design Scholarship - East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
- Norman Keller Scholarship - East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
2021 - 13th Annual School of Art and Design Graduate Student Art Exhibition - East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
- Hannah Graduate Scholarship - East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
- Norman Keller Scholarship - East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
2019 - Inspired by Nature - Tri State Sculptor Conference, Radford, VA
- Undergraduate Global Research and Creativity Expo - University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC
EXHIBITIONS
2026 - Alumni Exhibition - East Carolina University, Emerge Gallery, Greenville, NC
2025 - Lovingly: Black, Queer, Interracial Tennessee in Craft - Knoxville, TN
2024 - PTI Airport Exhibition - Piedmont Triad International Airport, Greensboro, NC
- Crafting Appalachia: Traditions and Innovation - Hayloft Gallery, Floyd, VA
- Souvenirs - Sara J. Blain Galleries, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN
2023 - Tri-state Sculptor Conference Pop-up Exhibition, Floyd, VA
- 37th Annual Sculpture Celebration - Caldwell Arts Council, Lenoir, NC
- To Light A Candle Is To Cast A Shadow - Arrowmont Gallery, Knoxville, TN
- Nice To Meet You - Wolpert Gallery, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN
- 14th Annual School of Art and Design Graduate Student Art Exhibition - Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
- Black Resistance: A Celebration of Black History - LWCC Sankofa Art Gallery, East Carolina University, Greenville NC
- Digital Weaving Exhibition: Woven Stories - East Carolina University Main Student Center, Greenville, NC
- Vanguard Social: Visions of Southern Queer Resistance - VAE, Raleigh, NC
- GreenHill Winter Show - GreenHill Gallery, Greensboro, NC
2022 - Here, There and Nowhere: MFA Online Exhibition - University of Montana, Missoula, MT
- Tar River Community Science Festival Gallery - Willis Building, Greenville, NC
- Future Tense 2022 - Surface Design Association, Albuquerque, NM
- What Lies Beneath: Fiber Exhibition - 311 Gallery, Raleigh, NC
- 1st/ 2nd year Student Exhibition - Main Student Center, Greenville, NC
- Abstract Exhibition - 311 Gallery, Raleigh, NC
- The Eve Gene Exhibition - Center for Visual Arts, Greensboro NC
- 14th Annual School of Art and Design Graduate Student Art Exhibition, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
2021 - Revelations of Material, Burroughs Gallery, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
- Tri-state Sculptor Conference Exhibition, Clear Water Art Studio and Gallery, Concord, NC
- Black Creatives of Pitt County Exhibition - Room 108 Community Art Gallery, Greenville, NC
- Ampersand Graduate Student Exhibition - Burroughs Gallery, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
- Black Creatives of Pitt County Exhibition - Art Lab, Greenville, NC
- Merged II National Exhibition, D’Arts Center, Norfolk, VA
- Fine Arts Celebration Auction, Greenville Museum of Art, NC
- ECU Graduate Show, Health and Science Student Center, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
- 13th Annual School of Art and Design Graduate Student Art Exhibition - East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
2020 - Self Recognition Through the Other - Center For Visual Arts, Greensboro, NC
2019 - Shape/Shift Student Exhibition - Greensboro Project Space, Greensboro, NC
- The Exchange: A Multicultural Visual Art Exhibition - African American Atelier, Greensboro, NC
- You A Wonder Exhibition - Center for Visual Arts, Greensboro, NC
2018 - Tri State Sculptor Student Exhibition - Gatewood Gallery, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC
- American Dream Showcase, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC
2017 - My Queer American Dream - Shelf Life Art Supply Co., Greensboro, NC
- Raleigh Fine Arts Showcase - Duke Energy Center, Raleigh, NC
2016 - Catalyst Exhibition - Gatewood Gallery, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC
PUBLIC ART
2025 - Madison Manufacturing Art Park - Mars Hill, NC
2023 - Tri State Sculpture Conference Outdoor Exhibition - Floyd, VA
- Western North Carolina Sculpture Center - Lenoir, NC
- Serve Coffee Bar Mural Project - Greenville, NC
- HeARToscope Mural Project - Greenville, NC
2022 - HeARToscope Mural Project, Greenville, NC
- 5th Street Hardware Mural - Greenville, NC
- Down East Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition - Winterville, NC
2021 - 9/11 Memorial - East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
- Ayden Mural Project - Ayden, NC
- 4th Street Parking Deck Mural - Greenville, NC
2020 - 1st Street Collaborative Mural - Greenville, NC
- Elsewhere Museum Collaborative Mural, Greensboro, NC
RESIDENCIES
2026 - Grow Residency (Greensboro Residency for Original Works), Creative Greensboro, Greensboro, NC
2023 - Artist-In-Residence - Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN
2022 - Studio Assistantship - Penland School of Art Craft, Mitchell County, NC
2020 - Studio Residency - Center For Visual Arts, Greensboro, NC
2019 - International Residency - Digital Stone Project, Gramolazzo, Italy
2016 - Student Residency - Salem Art Works, Salem, NY
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2023 - ArtReach Instructor: grades 3rd-8th, local youth outreach program - Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN
2020-23 - Undergraduate Instructor, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC