Karena “Kidd” Graves
kg.sculpt22@gmail.com
Portfolio: Karenakiddgraves.com | Instagram.com/kiddkreates
(336)-430-3561 | Greensboro, NC, 27406
EDUCATION
2023 Masters 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
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 Craft 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 Craft, 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 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 for Original Works), Creative Greensboro, Greensboro, NC
2023 Artist-In-Residence - Arrowmont School of Arts and Craft, 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