7500+ MILES
KRIS GRENIER, ARTIST

​As a backpacker and ultramarathoner, Kris Grenier explores the world on foot. Her travels have taken her from the hills of Georgia to the peaks of New England and from Death Valley to Mount Whitney, the top of the contiguous United States. After returning home to her family’s small farm in Harrison County, Grenier records her memories in two-dimensional wool feltings to share with others the wild places she loves.

​Grenier has enjoyed the opportunity to exhibit her art and passion for public lands at regional art shows, where her award-winning work has been praised for its originality and authenticity. Collectors appreciate the expressive realism of Grenier’s art and note that it has a soft, familiar feeling, like a treasured memory.
 
Having earned her BA in Environmental Studies from Transylvania University and conducted ecological research in both Lexington, Kentucky, and the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Grenier considers her role as an artist to go beyond the visual interpretation of wild lands. In galleries and festivals, Grenier enjoys sharing stories of the landscapes depicted in her work and aspires to kindle a conservation ethos in viewers. Her focus has turned to large-scale pieces that allow viewers to imagine themselves in the backcountry and evoke the grandeur of expansive natural landscapes.

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​A juried artist in the Kentucky Crafted Program, Grenier was recently awarded a 2022 Emerging Artist Grant by the Kentucky Arts Council. Grenier’s first large-scale solo exhibition, 7500+ Miles, debuted at Boyd’s Station Gallery in Cynthiana earlier this year.

​In 7500+ Miles, Grenier transports gallery visitors to the backcountry. In this single-artist, multimedia exhibit, felted works, snapshots, journal entries, watercolor sketches, maps, and even backpacking gear come together to create an immersive experience that invites visitors to imagine a summer spent on the trail, sleeping in a tent, drinking from mountain streams, observing wildlife, and hiking through all kinds of weather. In 7500+ Miles, backcountry-inspired fine art is displayed alongside the narrative of backpacking and the context of the artistic process. In this way, Grenier shares her story, from the memories of hundreds of days and nights on the trail to the creation of the feltings themselves.
​Exhibition curated by Arts Connect
in partnership with Central Bank