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KeTia Star Harris is a Black American visual artist, born and raised in Miami, Florida. Her use of primarily traditional (acrylic and oil paint, graphite, charcoal) and digital mediums allow for her exploration and growing, vulnerable, presentation of the relationship with self, community, and Spirit.
Her formal education includes a concentration in Fashion Design & Illustration from Design & Architecture Senior High in 2007; a BA in Religion & Studio Art from Florida Southern College in 2011; and an MPH from Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work at Florida International University in 2021.
She is intentional about increasing awareness and improving capacity of communities to then be empowered in making informed decisions about their individual and collective selves. This includes serving the majority of her lifetime as a member of Sellers Memorial United Methodist Church, where messages and acts of liberation, justice, and love continue to inspire her art; and serving 20 years in public health, where the integration of design and art has become fundamental in her unique approach to health promotion.
KeTia’s greatest joy and pleasure is being mom of a beautiful, smart, comical girl, whose own passion and intentionality for art and life continues to inspire her. KeTia strives for Kuumba—the sixth principle of Kwanzaa meaning “creativity”, described by Dr. Maulana Karenga as “to do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.”
It is important for me to see myself in my art–visually, conceptually, and culturally. This means prioritizing the representation of Black and Brown figures and ideas that are significant to me as a woman, a Black woman, a member of the African Diaspora; as a Christian; as someone born and raised in the US; with Caribbean roots; born and raised in Miami-Dade County. Many of my conceptual works contain “easter eggs”, or references that may only be familiar and relevant to those who share these lived experiences or identify similarly as I do, while still maintaining the capacity to be received and appreciated universally.
My work serves to appreciate, elevate, and evolve all that is me and my culture, while also highlighting challenges, disparities, and insecurities faced in these spaces. My art is an avenue for awareness, promotion, and advocacy. I hope that my works are received as beautiful, aesthetically, while also evoking visceral, emotional responses.
I am thankful for my God-given, community-nurtured gift, and appreciate the opportunity to use it purposefully, freely, and unapologetically.
Education
DEC 2021 MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Florida International University, Miami, FL
APR 2011 BACHELOR OF ARTS, RELIGION & STUDIO ART
Florida Southern College, Lakeland, FL
MAY 2007 SUPERINTENDENT’S DIPLOMA OF DISTINCTION, FASHION DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION
Design & Architecture Senior High School, Miami, FL
Related Experience
FREELANCE ARTIST | PRESENT
Art & Design by KeTia Star, Miami, FL
Designed scavenger hunt mascot and creative wayfinding signage installed along a 3-mile path of Westside Blue Way Trail in Miami Gardens 33056, to encourage walking, biking and interaction with built environment, as a part of Get Moving Miami Gardens' Wayfinding & Active Routes Project with Urban Health Partnerships, Live Healthy Miami Gardens, City of Miami Gardens, Health Foundation of South Florida, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Other conceptual and commissioned projects using traditional and digital methods have included BreastfeedMIAMI, Sankofa Cypher, Off The Record, Jefferson Reaves House, Young Ladies Inspiration, and Dyaspora Speaks-Out Productions.
ART & ADVOCACY CO-CHAIRPERSON & CURATOR | PRESENT
BreastfeedMIAMI, Miami, FL
Co-organized and co-curated inaugural and 2nd annual Art of Breastfeeding Exhibitions as part of BreastfeedMIAMI’s 10th & 11th annual National Breastfeeding Month celebration in Miami-Dade County, celebrating the beauty and diversity of breastfeeding, chest-feeding, and pump-feeding families. The 2nd annual exhibition also highlighted political, systemic, and environmental barriers that breastfeeding families face and may serve as opportunities for advocacy.
Arranged 2022 BreastfeedMIAMI calendar, featuring exhibited 2021 Art of Breastfeeding artwork and listed local, statewide, and nationwide breastfeeding support resources for families.
GROUP & PROJECT COORDINATOR | 01/2015 – 05/2015
OneUnited Mural Project, Miami, FL
Engaged 21 teen apprentices in the historical, cultural, and artistic significance of Liberty City, Miami.
Coordinated and monitored semiweekly sessions and programmatic needs with muralist and project team.
Developed and managed documents, workbooks, and files for recruitment, archiving, and evaluation of program.
ILLUSTRATOR, EDITOR, & ADMINISTRATOR | 04/2012 – 12/2014
Dyaspora Speaks-Out Production, Little Haiti, FL
Produced exclusive artwork to reflect themes prominent in the development and culture of Lemon City/Little Haiti.
Networked with other professionals, coalitions, and organizations to maximize resources and optimize production.
Drafted and proofread letters, statements, and proposals on behalf of CEO/Founder and production.
MINISTRY COORDINATOR, WHAT’S THE WORD!? MINISTRY | 06/2011 – 12/2013
Sellers Memorial United Methodist Church, Miami, FL
Engaged youth and young adults in discipleship and ministry through the visual and performing arts.
Increased congregation’s overall average worship attendance by 20% in 2013 since inception of the ministry.
CAMP COUNSELOR, CREATION STATION | 12/2010 – 01/2013
Sellers Memorial United Methodist Church, Miami, FL
Guided an average of 30 children in creative expression and discipleship through cultural arts.
Ensured safe, sanitary, healthy learning environment by tending to the individual and collective needs of campers.
ART STAFF, EDITOR & JUDGE, CANTILEVERS: JOURNAL OF THE ARTS | FAL 2008 – WIN 2009
Florida Southern College, Lakeland, FL
Evaluated and selected artwork for The Unveiling ceremony and to appear in the 2009 journal.
DESIGNER, SPECTRUM 2007 FASHION SHOW | 04/2007
Design & Architecture Senior High, Miami, FL
Showcased Mama Africa collection.
Featured and auctioned additional red garment in collaboration with other featured designers in (Collection) RED, a (Product) RED campaign to raise funds and purchase antiretroviral medicine for HIV victims in Africa.
ASSISTANT INTERN | 09/2006 – 05/2007
Darlyne Chauve @ Warehaus NOW
Prepared multimedia artwork and organized data.
Shadowed curator with preparation, hosting, and evaluation of 2006 Art Basel Miami exhibition.
Awards & Recognition
2011 John R Reuter Award, Senior Thesis Exhibition, FSC Department of Art & Art History
2009 1st Place, Student Exhibition, FSC Department of Art & Art History
2009 2nd Place Visual Arts, Cantilevers: Journal of the Arts @ FSC
2008 3rd Place, Student Exhibition, FSC Department of Art & Art History
2007 AP Scholar Award: Visual Arts Silver Key (The Scholastics Art & Writing Awards 2007)
Exhibitions & Shows
2022 BreastfeedMIAMI Art of Breastfeeding Exhibition, Doral Legacy Park, Doral, FL & JTCHS Barbara J. Jordan Center, Miami Gardens, FL
2021 BreastfeedMIAMI Art of Breastfeeding Event, Little Haiti Cultural Complex, Miami, FL
2019 MUCE305 Wombman: A Visual Exploration of Femininity, Consciousness, & Sisterhood, Ansin Family Art Gallery, Miramar Cultural Center, Miramar, FL
2017 DASH Class of ‘07: 10th Anniversary Show, Space Mountain Miami, Miami, FL
2015 NE2P Art Beat Miami, Caribbean Marketplace, Little Haiti Cultural Center, Little Haiti, FL
2014 Two-Person Live, Blak to the Future: Superblak, Fanhouse Bar & Grill, Miami, FL
2014 Two-Person Live, Blak to the Future: Blaklight, Fanhouse Bar & Grill, Miami, FL
2011 Juried, Department of Art & Art History Senior Thesis Exhibition, Melvin Art Gallery, FSC, Lakeland, FL
(Juror: Adam Justice, Curator, Polk Museum of Art)
2009 Juried, Department of Art & Art History Annual Student Exhibition, Melvin Art Gallery, FSC, Lakeland, FL
2009 Cantilevers: Unveiling Exhibition, Eleanor Searle Drawing Room, FSC, Lakeland, FL
2008 Juried, Department of Art & Art History Annual Student Exhibition, Melvin Art Gallery, FSC, Lakeland, FL
2007 DASH Senior Showcase, Jackie Hinchey-Sipes Gallery, Design & Architecture Senior High, Miami, FL
2007 Spectrum Fashion Show, DASH Atrium, Design & Architecture Senior High, Miami, FL
2005 Tiny Tropical Art Exhibition, Art Basel, Miami, FL
Collections
University of Miami (Private Collection), Miami, FL
Ordway Building, Florida Southern College, Lakeland, FL
Jefferson Reaves House, Jessie Trice Community Health System, Miami, FL
Mane-Tain Natural Hair Care Salon (Private Collection), Miami, FL
D. George (Private Collection), Miami, FL
Publication Mentions
"2022 Calendars: Art of Breastfeeding," BreastfeedMIAMI, 2021.
Ann Gurley Rogers, “Senior Thesis Exhibition at Florida Southern,” Lakeland Arts Blog, April 8, 2011. http://lakelandartsblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/welcome-to-my-blog.html
Cantilevers: Journal of the Arts 7, 2010. 3, 12, 21, 34.
Cantilevers: Journal of the Arts 6, 2009. Cover, Background, 38, 48, 52.
Cantilevers: Journal of the Arts 5, 2008. 29.
REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST