Kena the Artist

behind the art

Meet Kena:

I’ve wanted to be an artist for as long as I can remember. Anytime I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always the same: an artist. My mom said I used to ask for art supplies more than toys.
In high school, I used to get in trouble for drawing on everything when I was supposed to be working.
On notebooks, my backpack, my pants, my work.
And of course, on myself.
If something had an agreeable surface that would take to a drawing utensil, it was getting the Kena treatment.

After high school, I planned on attending college in Denver for graphic design. God had other plans, however. And apparently a funny sense of humor.
I found myself contemplating something I never in a million years would’ve imagined…
I wasn’t the best student in high school. My brain was capable enough, but if the class wasn’t art related, apparently it wasn’t interested. I’m not proud of it, but you know what they say about hindsight and whatnot.

Given how I was doing in school, my parents used to say that if my grades didn’t improve, they’d be sending me to the military. Of course in my mind, I figured: joke’s on you, I’ll be 18; you can’t make me.
Well…
The joke was on me.

I willingly signed my name on a dotted line, and officially became US Government property.

I served as an Aviation Machinist’s Mate: a mechanic on F-18 fighter jets. Turns out that joining the Navy was one of the best decisions I ever made.
I loved the challenges, precision, and adrenaline of the fast paced environment. Most of all, working on the jets. Those big beautiful metallic birds, which I lovingly called my babies. My job was to fix and play with multimillion dollar toys. It was pretty cool, to be honest.
Then something made that experience even sweeter… It’s where I met my husband.

This wasn’t a, military member meets cute civie out in town, sort of thing. We were both active duty. Both Navy. Both Aviation Machinist’s Mates.
In the same command. In the same shop.
He started out as my plane captain trainee. I taught him the hand signals and procedures necessary to launch jets, and other mech shop related activities. Every couple has their own origin story, and I love that ours started with those big beautiful birds.
And because we both served, we don’t just share stories. We truly understand what it was like, because we were there. Side by side.

Despite that unexpected detour, art was always patiently waiting for me to come home. While my early work leans more traditional, it wasn’t until I started creating my Blobbies, that I really found my voice, my visual language, and my artistic process.

Blobby’s potato-like, surreal form became a perfectly pliable vessel. A beautifully bizarre subject for my work depicting little moments in life. Each Blobby piece added on the next. It became a playground. Allowing me to explore rendering emotion, nostalgia, and humor, often woven with food and familiar objects.

My work spans many mediums, and I've collected that knowledge and dubbed it, my artistic arsenal. Painting in oil, acrylic, and digital. Drawing in graphite and charcoal. Creating abstract sculptures through woodworking and welding.
Fun fact: I already knew a bit about welding, but at some point, my husband encouraged me to take welding classes at a local college. He thought I could beef up my existing skills, and weld new frame parts on our 2001 Jeep Wrangler. I took two MIG welding classes, and passed the certification test.
Extra fun fact: I was the only woman in my class of 15.
And I was one of the three that passed the cert exam.
I went on to weld the Jeep frame with a Miller welder that my husband gifted me. And did indeed elevate my skills. Even tried TIG. So technical. So beautiful.
Skills which will be put to use in my shop once it’s set up.

Currently, I don’t have a studio. We moved recently, and we’re in the process of renovating a space into my studio. With all of this, my work has slowed down, but it hasn’t stopped.
Outside of creating, I’m with my husband and our boys. Whether we’re making art, memories, tending to chickens, looking for new recipes to try (foodies here), or whatever we may be up to on our property;
they inspire me every day.

If you find yourself drawn to my work, I hope it resonates with you in a meaningful way. Whether as a beacon of hope to guide you through a difficult time, a badge of honor for what you’ve overcome, or even eliciting a giggle.
Each piece carries its own story, and perhaps you may recognize a piece of yours.

Thanks for being here,
Kena

The artist out on her property,
with a few tools from her artistic arsenal.

Curious about how
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“I'm fortunate to have seen all of her art and how much she has grown as an artist, because of the special relationship I have with her as her husband. Her art is as beautiful as she is, each piece created comes from her lovely soul, and everyone gets to see how beautiful her soul is like I do everyday. I love you and I'm proud of you.”

-Kyle D.
  engineer | Navy vet (f-18 mech)

"I had a portrait commissioned for my wife and can give nothing but positive feedback on the experience. Kena was extremely professional kept in touch throughout the entire process of the painting. Now it's a living room wall piece that gets constant attention and compliments. We will be returning for other painting in the future."

- Joshua S.

IF YOU’VE COLLECTED MY WORK, THANK YOU.
I’D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS: