Hello, I'm Watercolors with Kris.

Kris Keys is an interdisciplinary artist and fashion designer who captures her audience with swift, vibrant, and sultry strokes of watercolor paint. Her diasporic work tells stories through a mixture of historical context, fashion, and art. Kris’ journey began in Memphis, Tennessee in the mid 80s when her family found out about a genetic blood disorder through her abnormal blood smears. While receiving treatments for this illness at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Kris used watercolors as a method of relaxation. Years later Kris embarked upon a career in fashion illustration and textile design, creating watercolor art for brands such as NARS Cosmetics, The Peninsula Hotel Tokyo, Brown’s Hotel London, The Highline New York, and Kamalaya Wellness Spa Thailand to name a few. Following her career in illustration, Kris created a line of paintings and printed garments entitled Hematology to tell the story of blood disorders that unknowingly affects millions of people around the world. Kris teaches watercolor painting classes using flowers as a subject. She helps children and adults to understand basic level watercolor painting skills using at as a method to create calmness and clarity. She has taught classes with botanical gardens and museums globally. Past partnerships include San Francisco Botanical Garden, Black Seeds Urban Farm Memphis, National Humanities Center and The Arboretum Los Angeles. Her work has been featured on CNN, University of the Arts London, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and The Lancet Haematology medical journal.