Going Hollywood

My artwork has made it to the West Coast!! I am one of 20 artists featured in the 2026 LA Billboard Competition - an annual public art project organized by The Billboard Creative - transforming the streets of LA into an open-air gallery. My billboard is located in the Fairfax neighborhood, just east of W. Hollywood on the corner of Willoughby Avenue and N. Fairfax. It will be on display until May 20th. There is a mobile map provided by the organizers to locate each entry. You can view the map at https://www.thebillboardcreative.org.

My Art Journey Interview

I recently sat for an in-depth interview by the Biafatrin art platform about my journey as an artist. It was a great opportunity to reflect on how I’ve approached the creative process. You can check out the full interview at https://blog.reviewme.art/2026/02/22/threaded-legacies-a-talk-with-linda-keene-on-memory-fabric-and-joy/

2025 Was a Very Good Year

2025 was a year of full of exciting opportunities that moved my art practice forward in significant ways. The most impactful was being selected as a member of ArtPop’s 2025 Artist Cohort which resulted in my artwork being displayed on billboards throughout the Charlotte region and other major cities in the U.S. for a full year. For a full rundown, click here to download my 2025 Year-in-Review.

Coming Attractions

In early December, I learned that one of my original art quilts “Sharing Our HER-story” has been selected for Artfields 2026, one of the Southeast’s largest and most celebrated visual arts festivals. From April 10th - May 2nd, my piece will be exhibited in Lake City, SC alongside incredible artists from 12 southern states. Artfields brings together creativity, community, and major cash prizes in a unique town-wide exhibition experience. Hope to see you there! To learn more about Artfields, click here for their website.

Big Apple Adventure

In mid-August, I had the thrill of a lifetime seeing my artwork on iconic Times Square billboards. Having grown up in NYC, I could never have imagined having my name “up in lights” on Broadway. I am so grateful to @artpopstreetgallery and @outfrontmediaUSA for this amazing opportunity. And much love to @yukiteiphoto for the fabulous photos.

"All That Jazz" wins Second-Place ribbon at Atlanta Quilt Festival

Friends and Fans: I am excited to share that “All That Jazz” took second place honors in the Small Quilt category at this year’s Atlanta Quilt Festival. Held annually in August, the Atlanta Quilt Festival is the premier showcase for the work of African-American quilters. In addition to the annual juried quilt show, AQF offers a month of classes and special events that attract quilt enthusiasts from across the U.S. Through participation in AQF, I have met many inspiring teachers and artists. Sadly, I was unable to attend this year, but my son Jason and his family were there to represent me and take photos of the quilt and prize ribbon.

Finding Purpose In Retirement

Earlier this summer, I had the opportunity to participate in an episode of the Next Chapters podcast series that explored the challenges that women face in trying to find purpose and satisfaction in their retirement years. I was asked to talk about my own journey which has involved a couple of major transitions — first moving from a 30 year career as a corporate executive to leading a large non-profit organization, and then embarking on an artistic career following my retirement in 2015. The other guests were academics who have devoted their careers to exploring various aspects of women’s careers and retirement. If this is a subject that interests you, click here to be directed to the podcast home page.

My First Exhibition in Charlotte

I’d like to thank the Curatorial Committee at Charlotte’s VAPA (Visual and Performing Arts) Center for selecting “Sharing Our Her_-Story” for their “Mentoring and Guiding Hands” exhibition. This was my first time exhibiting my work in a gallery in my hometown. I appreciate all my friends and supporters who came out to the Opening Reception - it means so much! The exhibition runs from May 3 - June 6, so there’s plenty of time to see the work of all the talented local artists on display.

A Festival of the Arts in Small Town USA

Last month Bob and I made a visit to Lake City, SC (pop. 7000) to attend Artfields - one of the largest art festivals in the Southeast. Artists from 12 Southern states compete each year to have theri work included in this one-of-a-kind event with a top prize of $50,000. What makes Artfields unique is the involvement of venues all across town - including retail shops, service providers, adn public buildings as well as traditional art galleries. This festival has transformed what was once a declining agricultural town into a popular tourist destination. We ha a great time and were surprised by the diversity of artwork and artists that were represented. There was even a whole building devoted to children’s art (K-12) -some of which was amazing. As an incentive to visit all the venues, attendees get to vote for two People’s Choice Awards for which artists receive $12,500 cash awards. I was happy to see artwork by several members of the ArtPop family as well as a number of fiber artists included in this year’s show. I definitely plan to enter a piece in the 2026 competition. To learn more about Artfields go to www.artfieldssc.org.

ArtPopCLT Just Announced Their Class of 2025 - And I'm Included!

I am excited to share that I have been selected as one of 20 Charlotte-area artists to participate in a yearlong advertising and promotion program sponsored by ArtPop Street Gallery. As a member of the Class of 2025, my work will be featured on electronic and vinyl billboards across the region and other select markets. Billboards in Times Square were added to the program in 2024. Last night was the big Reveal event introducing the Class of 2025. The photo that accompanies this post is a small-scale replica of what my billboards will look like.

You can learn more about the program and this year's artists at www.ArtPopStreetGallery.com. Just click on the banner at the top of the home page. Be sure to follow me on Instagram (@LKeeneArt) for regular updates on all of the exciting things that will be happening in 2025.

Exhibition: "Country Girls" juried into Children of Men 2024 exhibition

Another one of my art quilts, “Country Girls” has been juried into an online group exhibition - Children of Men 2024. The exhibitions runs through January 9, 2025. You can view the works of the 72 participating artists by clicking on the following link: https://www.gallerium.art/p/children-2024.html. To see my page, click on the Artists tab and enter Linda Keene.

Exhibition: "Mermaid's Treasure" juried into MAGIX 2024 Exhibition

“Mermaid’s Treasure” is now being showcased at MAGIX 2024 exhibition, organized by Exhibitzone. To learn more, please visit https//wwww.exhibizone.com/magix2024?AW=AW127759328. To see my page, just click on the Artists tab and enter Linda Keene.

Exhibition: "Detroit Divas" featured at "Celebrating Black Music" exhibition

I was so excited to have one of my art quilts featured in the 17th Annual African-American Fiber Art Exhibition “Celebrating Black Music” presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department. This annual exhibition showcased works in fiber created by nearly 40 African-American artists from 25 different states and was on view from May 1 - June 16, 2024 at North Charleston City Hall. This exhibition honored the rich legacy of African-American musical culture and was curated by award-winning textile artist Torreah “Cookie” Washington. I had a great time connecting with so many talented quilt artists during the Opening Weekend.

Boston University Highlights Alumni "Reinventing" Themselves in Retirement

Bostonia (BU’s alumni magazine") included me in an article about alumni who are using their retirement years to pursue new directions.

The Soundtrack of the 60's

Coming of age in the 1960s, my musical tastes were heavily influenced by the Motown Sound. Girl groups ljke Martha & the Vandellas and the Supremes were influential both musically and culturally. They were known for their stylish hairdos and beautiful gowns, looks that were emulated by African-American women across the country. The Supremes had 10 straight #1 hits in the 1960s and led Motown groups in having crossover success that was unprecedented for African-American artists. This piece is the first of a series inspired by this legacy.

Flights of Fantasy

The City of North Charlotte holds an annual African-American art exhibition that draws entries from all over the U.S. The theme of the 2023 exhibition was “Mermaids” which was in anticipation of Disney’s live action movie “The Little Mermaid” which starred an African-American actress (Halle Bailey). Although I did not learn about the exhibit in time to submit an entry, I was inspired to create several fantasy pieces like this one called “Mermaid’s Treasure”.

Exhibition: "Heading North" and "40 Acres" featured at 2023 Atlanta Quilt Festival

This wonderful exhibition is held annually at Atlanta’s Southwest Arts Center to showcase the work of African-American quilters. In addition to the exhibit, there are a number of skill-building classes offered which provide opportunities to learn from and network with other African-American artists. The Atlanta Quilt Festival is the brainchild of O.V. Brantley, an exceptionally talented quilt artist whose work has been featured in national magazines and in shows across the U.S. This year, two of my nostalgia pieces “Heading North” and “40 Acres” were selected for the exhibition. I also had the chance to take a class on how to create portraits in fabric.

Exhibition: "Shake That Tamborine" juried into ALL ABOUT WOMEN 2023

“Shake That Tambourine” was juried into the ALL ABOUT WOMEN 2023 online exhibition sponsored by the Marin Society of Artists. Please check it out if you have a chance. ALL ABOUT WOMEN 2023 is now open ONLINE in the Marin Society of Artists website at: https://shows14.wixsite.com/mysite/all-about-women-2023

The online exhibition will remain available until September 30, 2023.

A "Pinch Me" Moment at the Mint Museum

Our friends Nina & James Jackson were one of four local art collecting families who were part of the ground-breaking “The Vault” exhibition at Charlotte’s Mint Museum in the summer of 2023. Among the items that they shared, the Jacksons included their Black Santa Collection. And right smack dab in the middle of that section was the “Night Before Christmas” art quilt that I had gifted to them last year. To top it off, my name was mentioned in their vocal narrative and in the writeup on the wall. When I began my art journey several years ago, I never in my wildest dreams ever thought that my work would be hanging in a prestigious museum. I had to pinch myself to see if I was dreaming!!

Exhibition: "Unconditional Love" showcased at the Ripple of Love exhibition

My “Lap of Love” art quilt was selected for the Gallery at Morningstar’s summer exhibition. The theme was “Ripple of Love” and this piece is intended to represent the unconditional love of a grandmother for her grandchild. The child radiates the confidence that comes from knowing that she is loved and cared for. Research has shown that unconditional love helps children develop a positive sense of self-worth, provides a safe and secure environment for exploration and learning, helps them develop positive relationships with others, and provides a buffer against the negative effects of stress and trauma. The ripple effect of unconditional love benefits society by helping children grow into confident, resilient and compassionate adults who are capable of making positive contributions to the world.

The “Ripple of Love” exhibit runs through September 2023. The Gallery at Morningstar is located at 12509 Idelwild Rd, Matthews, NC.