Local artist Karen E. Griffin sewing seams to create stories, honor culture and celebrate ancestry

Kansas City native Karen E. Griffin (KE) is a self-taught visual, teaching, and performing artist who creates vibrant abstract works that explore themes of identity and urban landscapes. She is influenced by her mother’s entrepreneurial spirit and formative art learning experiences. Griffin’s art reflects a unique perspective shaped by her Kansas City and Marlin, Texas roots.  She is a Certified National and International Storyteller, depicting the lives of noted historic figures including Ida B. Wells Barnett, 19th century African American investigative journalist, sociologist, educator, and early leader in the civil rights movement.

Karen E. Griffin is a Missouri Arts Council  2025 Missouri Arts Award Individual Artist Honoree. The Jackson County, Missouri, Office of the County Legislature further honored Griffin with Proclamation Resolution NO. 21819. 2023-2025 as Artist-in-Residence, Englewood Arts Center, Independence, Missouri. Her educational and historical collections, have been exhibited across the metropolitan Kansas City area and across the nation.

Karen creates two-dimensional portraits and African based abstractions depicting cultural and community narratives that aim to empower viewers to embrace their unique identities.  She fuses high fashion with vibrant storytelling of African American heritage.  Karen uses African prints to render each image, capturing the intricate details of the fabric and the bold energy of the patterns.

Karen’s work celebrates the rich tapestry of African American culture through the exploration of prints, patterns, and symbols. By incorporating these elements, she aims to create pieces that resonate honors  African American community and ancestral heritage.

Karen volunteered on-air at 90.1FM KKFI appearing on Old G’s Hang Out with the late legendary blues and gospel   Groovy Grant, and Jazz in the Afternoon’s Gerald Dunn, the Jazz Disciple.  She served many years as co-host on this Urban Connections public affairs program.

https://artbyelewis.studio/

host/producer/engineer:   Donna Morrow Wolfe


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