Inner Discovery Through Watercolor Florals with Kris Keys

Day: Saturday, March 12th

Time: 12:00 PM

Participant fee: $70/General. SFBG Members receive a 10% discount.

Zoom webinar: Zoom link will sent through email after ticket purchase.

Kris Keys is an interdisciplinary artist and fashion designer who captures her audience with swift, vibrant, and sultry strokes of watercolor paint. Her diasporic work tells stories through a mixture of historical context, fashion, botanicals, and art. Kris’ journey began in Memphis, Tennessee in the mid 80s when her family found out about a genetic blood disorder through her abnormal blood smears. While receiving treatments for this illness, Kris used watercolors as a method of relaxation. Years later, Kris created a line of watercolor illustrations and printed garments entitled Hematology to tell the story of blood disorders that unknowingly affects millions of people around the world.

Following this project, Kris embarked upon a journey tracing the roots of this blood disorder starting with a trip to Mississippi’s rural towns to capture her family’s story. It was then that she learned about the connection of magnolia flowers to her lineage. As Mississippi’s state flower, the tree holds a lot of history within the African diaspora. Finding beauty in these stories and inviting individuals to lean into their own stories as they paint flowers is the mission for Kris’ series of watercolor painting classes.

The magnolia painting virtual course in partnership with San Francisco Botanical Garden focuses on utilizing therapeutic qualities of florals to catalyze self-discovery. Kris will lead the class with step-by-step instructions on how to paint 3 varieties of magnolias using watercolors. At the end of the course, participants will have techniques on how to paint magnolia flowers swiftly, 2 finished floral paintings, and an understanding on using watercolors in order to improve overall wellness. This class is suitable for everyone, even beginners.

Kris has collaborated with brands such as Kamalaya Wellness Spa Thailand, Browns Hotel London, and The Peninsula Tokyo teaching and adorning their spaces with her watercolor paintings. Publications such as CNN, University of the Arts London, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and The Lancet Haematology have featured Kris’ story. She holds a degree in Fashion Design and Technology from London College of Fashion.