b. Pella, Iowa, The United States.
EDUCATION
M.F.A. Hunter College CUNY, New York, NY. , USA.
B.F.A. The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. , USA.
EDUCATION
M.F.A. Hunter College CUNY, New York, NY. , USA.
B.F.A. The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. , USA.
SOLO & TWO-PERSON EXHIBITIONS
Curriculum Vitae
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(Re)calling and (Re)telling. Morton Fine Art. Washington D.C., USA.
Talking To Myself. Baang and Burne Contemporary Art- 6x6. New York, NY. USA.
(Re)calling and (Re)telling. North Central College Oesterle Gallery, Naperville, IL., USA.
Drawings & Paintings by Kesha Bruce and Julia Dorado. Galerie d'YS, Brussels, Belgium.
The Girl Who Became an Eagle. La Galerie Culture Plastique. Metz, France.
New Work: Kesha Bruce & Kayla Steel. Atelier Deux Mondes, Metz, France.
Voices & Stories. L.N.D. Artists Space, Rochester, NY., USA.
Image/Vision/Word. Inkblotz Studio Gallery, Geneva, NY. , USA.
Self/Portrait. Flow Galleria, Vancouver BC, Canada.
Making My Own Reflection. Hunter College Time Square Gallery, New York, NY. , USA.
Picturing Femininity. The University of Iowa Women's Center, Iowa City, IA. , USA.
Talking To Myself. Baang and Burne Contemporary Art- 6x6. New York, NY. USA.
(Re)calling and (Re)telling. North Central College Oesterle Gallery, Naperville, IL., USA.
Drawings & Paintings by Kesha Bruce and Julia Dorado. Galerie d'YS, Brussels, Belgium.
The Girl Who Became an Eagle. La Galerie Culture Plastique. Metz, France.
New Work: Kesha Bruce & Kayla Steel. Atelier Deux Mondes, Metz, France.
Voices & Stories. L.N.D. Artists Space, Rochester, NY., USA.
Image/Vision/Word. Inkblotz Studio Gallery, Geneva, NY. , USA.
Self/Portrait. Flow Galleria, Vancouver BC, Canada.
Making My Own Reflection. Hunter College Time Square Gallery, New York, NY. , USA.
Picturing Femininity. The University of Iowa Women's Center, Iowa City, IA. , USA.
2011
2009
2008
2004
2003
2002
2001
1997
2009
2008
2004
2003
2002
2001
1997
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
En Foco New Works Photography. El Taller Boricua Gallery. New York, NY., USA.
La Foire Européenne d’Art Contemporain. Metz, France.
La Foire Européenne d’Art Contemporain. Metz, France.
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2004
2003
2002
2000
2009
2008
2007
2006
2004
2003
2002
2000
Double Exposure: African-Americans Before and Behind the Camera.
DePaul University Museum of Art, Chicago, IL., USA.
"Everyone We Know" Sketchbook Project. Art House Gallery, Atlanta, GA., USA.
The Last Book. The National Library of Argentina. Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Double Exposure: African-Americans Before and Behind the Camera.
Double Exposure: African-Americans Before and Behind the Camera.
Museum of the African Diaspora. San Francisco, CA., USA.
American Women. Europa Museum of Modern Art. Schengen, Luxembourg.
Hot Sauce. International Art & Performance Festival. The Bronx, New York, USA.
Millions Taken Daily. The University of Maine Museum of Art. Bangor, ME. USA.
Tell Me Something. Vermont Studio Center Open Studios. Johnson, VT., USA.
I Can Do That. Art & Performance Festival. Brooklyn, New York, USA.
Motherland. Kunstvlaai 6 at Westergasfabriek. Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Works on Paper. Flux Factory. Long Island City, NY. , USA.
Object Books. Associazione di Promozione Sociale Artetica. Rome, Italy.
Dream City. Consulate of Culture Society. Elassona, Greece.
Walls. Sleeth Gallery, West Virginia Wesleyan College, Buckhannon,WV. , USA.
Secret Postcards. University of the Arts Printmaking Gallery, Philadelphia, PA. , USA.
Woman Image: Image of Woman. The University of New Haven, West Haven, CT., USA.
Mere Words. Bronx Council on the Arts, Longwood Arts Gallery, Bronx, NY. , USA.
Hot Sauce. International Art & Performance Festival. The Bronx, New York, USA.
Millions Taken Daily. The University of Maine Museum of Art. Bangor, ME. USA.
Tell Me Something. Vermont Studio Center Open Studios. Johnson, VT., USA.
I Can Do That. Art & Performance Festival. Brooklyn, New York, USA.
Motherland. Kunstvlaai 6 at Westergasfabriek. Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Works on Paper. Flux Factory. Long Island City, NY. , USA.
Object Books. Associazione di Promozione Sociale Artetica. Rome, Italy.
Dream City. Consulate of Culture Society. Elassona, Greece.
Walls. Sleeth Gallery, West Virginia Wesleyan College, Buckhannon,WV. , USA.
Secret Postcards. University of the Arts Printmaking Gallery, Philadelphia, PA. , USA.
Woman Image: Image of Woman. The University of New Haven, West Haven, CT., USA.
Mere Words. Bronx Council on the Arts, Longwood Arts Gallery, Bronx, NY. , USA.
My name is Kesha. (pronounced KEE-sha)
It’s a West African name that means "favored daughter".
I’m an American mixed-media artist living and working in the United States and France.
I create works that combine painting and collage to explore connections between memory, personal
mythology, and magical-spiritual belief.
It’s a West African name that means "favored daughter".
I’m an American mixed-media artist living and working in the United States and France.
I create works that combine painting and collage to explore connections between memory, personal
mythology, and magical-spiritual belief.
Double Exposure: African-Americans Before and Behind the Camera.
South East Museum of Photography. Daytona Beach, FL, USA.
Keene State College Thorne-Sagendorph Gallery. Keene, NH., USA.
Keene State College Thorne-Sagendorph Gallery. Keene, NH., USA.
In addition to my studio work, I’m an independent curator, the Director of Baang and Burne Contemporary
Art in New York City, and a career consultant for Artists and other Creatives.
But before all that, I was just another young, struggling artist.
I was born and raised in Iowa. A week after graduating with a BFA in painting from the University of Iowa, I
sold everything I owned and bought a one-way plane ticket to New York City. I landed in Brooklyn with a
backpack full of badly wrinkled clothes, 2 pairs of shoes, and $3000 in cash in my pocket.
Not only did I manage to survive, but I earned an MFA in painting at Hunter College and built a life for myself
as a full-time working artist.
Since 1997 I have shown my work in more than 50 exhibitions in the United States and Europe. In 2004 I was
awarded a Painting Fellowship from the New York Foundation for the Arts, and a year later I received a
Puffin Foundation Grant for my work with hand-made artist’s books.
In 2007 my paintings were included in the exhibition American Women at the Schengen Museum in
Luxembourg as part of the year-long series of events and exhibitions designed to celebrate Luxembourg’s
status as European Capital of Culture.
My artworks are included in the permanent collections of North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, The
Amistad Center for Art & Culture, The University of Iowa Women's Center, The EnFoco Photography
Collection, and The Museum of Modern Art/Franklin Furnace Artist Book Collection.
Art in New York City, and a career consultant for Artists and other Creatives.
But before all that, I was just another young, struggling artist.
I was born and raised in Iowa. A week after graduating with a BFA in painting from the University of Iowa, I
sold everything I owned and bought a one-way plane ticket to New York City. I landed in Brooklyn with a
backpack full of badly wrinkled clothes, 2 pairs of shoes, and $3000 in cash in my pocket.
Not only did I manage to survive, but I earned an MFA in painting at Hunter College and built a life for myself
as a full-time working artist.
Since 1997 I have shown my work in more than 50 exhibitions in the United States and Europe. In 2004 I was
awarded a Painting Fellowship from the New York Foundation for the Arts, and a year later I received a
Puffin Foundation Grant for my work with hand-made artist’s books.
In 2007 my paintings were included in the exhibition American Women at the Schengen Museum in
Luxembourg as part of the year-long series of events and exhibitions designed to celebrate Luxembourg’s
status as European Capital of Culture.
My artworks are included in the permanent collections of North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, The
Amistad Center for Art & Culture, The University of Iowa Women's Center, The EnFoco Photography
Collection, and The Museum of Modern Art/Franklin Furnace Artist Book Collection.
A Decade of Photography in the Aftermath of 9/11. The Greenwich House. New York, NY., USA
ARTxWOMEN. Kris Graves Projects. The Affordable Art Fair. New York, NY., USA.
(Re)calling and (Re)telling. Saginaw Valley State University Art Gallery. University Center, MI., USA.
Stories That Breathe: African American Figurative Narratives. Morton Fine Art. Washington D.C., USA.
Double Exposure: African-Americans Before and Behind the Camera. The David Driskell Center.
The University of Maryland. College Park, MD.,USA.
Carroll Harris Simms Exhibition. The African American Museum of Dallas. Dallas, TX, USA.
ARTxWOMEN. Kris Graves Projects. The Affordable Art Fair. New York, NY., USA.
(Re)calling and (Re)telling. Saginaw Valley State University Art Gallery. University Center, MI., USA.
Stories That Breathe: African American Figurative Narratives. Morton Fine Art. Washington D.C., USA.
Double Exposure: African-Americans Before and Behind the Camera. The David Driskell Center.
The University of Maryland. College Park, MD.,USA.
Carroll Harris Simms Exhibition. The African American Museum of Dallas. Dallas, TX, USA.
2011
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En Foco New Works #11 Photography Award.
The Vermont Studio Center. Artist in Residence.
The Puffin Foundation. Emerging Artist Grant.
New York Foundation for the Arts. Painting Fellowship.
New York State Council on the Arts. Strategic Opportunity Stipend.
The Vermont Studio Center. Artist in Residence.
The Puffin Foundation. Emerging Artist Grant.
New York Foundation for the Arts. Painting Fellowship.
New York State Council on the Arts. Strategic Opportunity Stipend.
GRANTS, AWARDS & RESIDENCIES
2005
2004
2002
1997
2004
2002
1997
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