Around the Bend Exhibit

Held in the Warner Gallery of the South Bend Museum of Art, the Around the Bend exhibit is a community-wide exhibition open to artists aged 18 and above living in St. Joseph County and its neighboring counties. The accepted artworks were presented in a salon style, covering the gallery walls from floor to ceiling. Kamika Perry's piece "Radiance" was selected for this show, marking her debut at the museum.

The exhibition took place from May 25 to August 25, 2024, with an opening reception on Friday, June 1, from 5 PM to 8 PM. Over 300 people attended the opening night, and hundreds more visited throughout the duration of the exhibit.

Around the Bend was curated by the team at SBMA, aiming to feature as many local artists as possible. As you entered Warner Gallery, you were immediately met with impressive works, including a notable 48in x 48in piece by Kamika Perry, prominently displayed in the entryway, ensuring it caught everyone's attention.

St. Joseph County Library Purchases two works by Kamika Perry

A quick highlight reel of the purchase

Over the years, the St. Joseph County main library has strived to be more than just a community fixture; it has become a beacon of hope, a place that encourages connections, and a resource for growth in any area of interest. A significant aspect of this effort has been the library's growing investment in local arts and programming to support this mission. A major initiative was the renovation of the library to incorporate sophisticated and well-equipped artist gallery spaces.

Following her initial exhibition in the space, Kamika Perry continued to foster strong connections with the library staff, seeking their advice on various occasions about future exhibition possibilities. She was thrilled and overjoyed to hear that the library wished to acquire two pieces from her abstract shape collection.

"These two paintings are my personal favorites from the abstract shape collection. Despite being 2D, they possess qualities reminiscent of 3D sculptures. Perry remarks, "I love the texture and how they seem frozen in motion."

Both pieces are displayed on the walls just outside the second-floor gallery.

Four Winds Casino Displays works by Kamika Perry

In 2024, Four Winds Casino aimed to try something new by showcasing works created by local artists at their two locations in New Buffalo and South Bend, IN.

While searching for local artists, Sherrod Williams, who was curating the project, repeatedly heard the name Kamika Perry. Eager and thankful for another chance to display her talents, Kamika promptly selected the largest canvases she had ever worked on for the project.

"I've always admired canvases larger than 30in x 30in, but they've intimidated me," Perry comments. "However, I visited my favorite craft store, Hobby Lobby, and managed to fit a 48in x 48in canvas into my SUV,"

"Radiance" by Kamika Perry. 48in x 48in

The showcase was successful, leading to increased recognition for her as an artist and amplifying her inner belief that she can be an artist, overshadowing the voices that say she can't.

"You truly don't know what you're incapable of doing. You only have things you refuse to do. Many things we believe are impossible for us are, in fact, very closely within our reach. - Kamika Perry