Kea Kamiya is an artist living and working in Florida. She works in a combination of metalwork and textiles. She is currently pursuing her MFA at Florida State University.
Artist Statement
In my sculptures, I use traditionally gendered materials to explore the role of woman as maker and caretaker. I look to photographs of and stories about my female ancestors as I consider the overlooked creations of women. Following in the footsteps of myths from my Japanese heritage, I employ animal forms to represent deeper facets of the female souls. Combining traditional cultural myths and the mythology of my own family line provides me with a manifold visual vocabulary.
Working with both steel and textiles supplies me the opportunity to intertwine two distinct aspects of what it means to be a maker and caregiver. Together these materials represent women and our labor as complex: soft and protective, restrictive and comforting, and structural and fragile. My desire is for my sculptures to explore these complications, while also serving as evidence of the creation of home, of self, and of family that is passed over and too often forgotten. Both for my ancestors and for the meek among us, these sculptures stand in secure memoriam of those whose care and creation was unsung.
CV
EDUCATION
2026 - MFA, Studio Art, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL (Forthcoming)
2023 - BA summa cum laude, Art and English, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL
2022 - Russian Language Intensive, Critical Language Institute with London School of Language and Culture, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2024-25 Instructor of Record, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL (Taught: 3D Foundations Fall 2024, Taught and Created Curriculum For: Welding for Sculpture Spring 2024, Welding for Non-Majors Fall 2025)
EXHIBITIONS
2025
Group Exhibition, 2025 National Multi-Media Juried Art Show, Wilson Gallery, Wilson, North Carolina (Juried)
Group Exhibition, The Things We Carry: A Contemporary Asian Experience, Studio Montclair Leach Gallery, Montclair, NJ (Juried)
Group Exhibition, In Relation, Working Method Contemporary Gallery, Tallahassee, FL
Group Exhibition, Stop and Smell the Roses, Thomasville Center of Art, Thomasville, GA
2024 Group Exhibition, Burger Meat, Working Method Contemporary Gallery, Tallahassee, FL
Group Exhibition, Hearth and Home, Working Method Contemporary Gallery, Tallassee, FL
Group Exhibition, HSF Excellence in Visual Arts, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL (Juried)
2023 Group Exhibition, Thesis Exhibition: Consider The Ravens, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL
Group Exhibition, FGCU Juried Show 2023, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL (Juried)
2022 Group Exhibition, FGCU Juried Show 2022, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL (Juried)
AWARDS
2024 Graduate Student Excellence in the Visual Arts Award, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
2022 Methods and Concepts Visual Arts Scholarship Award, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL
Southwest Florida Fine Craft Guild Award of Excellence, Florida Gulf Coast University
BIBLIOGRAPHY
“Eastertide”. The Visual Hymnal Volume 2, Issue 1 (April 2026): 40-42. print and https://visualhymnal.com.
“Kamiya - Are You Ready? | Honors, Scholars and Fellows House.” 2025. Fsu.edu. 2025. https://hsf.fsu.edu/kamiya-are-you-ready.
“Kea Kamiya.” 2022. Fgcu.edu. 2022. https://www.fgcu.edu/ocf/stories/keakamiya.
Sterwald, Drew. 2023. “10 Outstanding Eagles Inducted into FGCU Hall of Fame.” FGCU 360. May 2023.
“Stop and Smell the Roses”, Thomasville Scene (March 2025): 44-45, Thomasville Times-Enterprise. Print.
TECHNICAL ABILITIES
2023 -2024 Graduate Assistant Sculpture and Ceramics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL (knowledge of cold saw, plasma cutter, waterjet, sand blaster, metal drill press and basic wood working tools- table saw, band saw, miter saw, sanders)
2021-2023 Sculpture Studio Assistant, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL (Knowledge of tools including MIG, ARC, and OA welding, aluminum casting, basic forge use)