Grandma’s Dining Room Gallery: A Tribute to Generations

Come Roll My Hair; Stories from my Grandmother’s Dining Room is a journey, capturing and celebrating stories of hair, family, and patterns. Back in the day, my grandmas would call my siblings and I into her room at any given time to roll their hair with the iconic pink sponge rollers. It was a bonding moment for us that allotted time for story telling. Learning about their childhood, the family’s history, and secrets intertwined with the space of hair rolling time. Those moments with our elders helped us to define our identity and heritage by reflecting on our origin story. This collection is filled with art, memorabilia, tea, and film that help us to use hair as a tool for healing and self discovery. This exhibition is set right in the heart of the inspiration, my grandmother’s dining room. Book a viewing virtually from July 8- August 31, 2025 or in person if you happen to be in or visiting Memphis, TN.

“This was an amazing presentation that appeals to all the senses. The smells, the sight, the music. it really brings out the art. Just to hear the stories makes the art transcending pieces.”

— Chris Key

“I knew that this would be transformative, but I had no idea how much I truly needed this. The heart is all in this room, and I deeply appreciate that.”

— Brittney Boyd Bullock

You’re invited to experience my gallery virtually or in person. Just like walking through in person, the virtual visit offers an intimate view into my world, with the added gift of hearing the inspirations and stories behind each painting, directly from me.

You’ll be able to connect with the art, the dining room that holds it, and even share your own stories and reflections. Whether you've sat in a room like this before or the feeling is brand new, there’s something waiting for you here.

Step inside, stay awhile, and let’s see what stories we stir up together.

Granddaughter of a Matriarch

This August, my sweet grandma Bernice, the matriarch of our family transitioned. She was the heart of our lineage, a beacon of strength, wisdom, and love that guided us throughout our lifetime. Although I’ve watched her health decline over the past year, nothing fully prepares you for the finale.

I remember watching grandma sit beside her mother, my great grandma feeding her in her last days. I noticed the look of strength yet sadness grandma had in her eyes during that time. And over the past few months, I’ve seen the same look in my mother’s eyes. There’s a quiet yet undeniable shift you begin to feel—a sense of responsibility and wisdom that slowly settles into your bones when you become close to being a matriarch. As I find myself growing closer to that role, I am both humbled and honored to carry forward my grandma’s legacy, understanding that this journey is not just about leading but also about nurturing the next generation with the same grace and resilience she exemplified.

(Left Photo) My grandmother and great grandmother. (Right Photo) My mother and niece caregiving for grandma.

There’s a bittersweetness in this transition—the joy of stepping into a role that so many remarkable women before me have held, mixed with the sorrow of knowing that their time has passed. More than ever, I’m becoming more intentional about the decisions I make knowing that I’m becoming the one that the next generation will look for wisdom, guidance, and passing on the family’s traditions. The reality is I don’t feel fully ready, but the legacy of the women before me lives on in me, and my art is a reminder of just that.

I enjoyed sharing Grandma Bernice with you all. And I loved hearing the stories of your family as well. Researching her life and health journey has left me with so many undeniable gifts especially launching a floral tea brand. There’s much more to come, and I look forward to continuing this journey of self discovery, family, and legacy with you.

The Old Landmark

Last summer, I had an urge to go home and capture as much family history as possible from my grandmother. I forfeited my summer plans, boarded a plane from California to Tennessee, and set up the camera every time grandma beckoned for me to grab her box of sponge hair rollers and roll her hair. Our conversations during that time ranged from memories of her childhood, unsolicited advice on my life, and laying out the latest scoop on the family. Without fail, each visit taught me more and more about myself and it gave me a roadmap on how to move forward in my journey. 

I noticed the decline of grandma’s memory with each visit home throughout the year. Now one year later, I’m slowly understanding the purpose of the urgency with our time together. Yes, my visits were about helping to take care of grandma, but it was also a direction back to living fully in my light and purpose. I’ve always been a multifaceted person with interests in fashion, art, and now holistic healing. But the depths of who I am and what I can achieve could only be accomplished by doing one thing, and that’s returning home. There’s an old gospel song called, The Old Landmark which illustrates the idea that we should "remember the things we need to remember - about ourselves; about our callings; about our priorities. We go back for renewal. We go back - having left at least once - to complete whatever was left unfinished, so we can move unencumbered into our next chapter.” 

My Old Landmark is grandma’s house with emphasis on her backyard. Once filled with a peach tree, a pecan tree, okra, corn, tomatoes and whatever seeds my great grandma decided to plant; it’s now a haven for me to create and a guiding light for my journey. Noticing and researching all the medicinal flowers around the backyard has undoubtedly inspired me to keep developing my floral tea brand helping others to heal.

Creating the paintings for my collection “Come Roll My Hair” in her backyard allowed time to observe the patterns of nature and compare it to the patterns of family.  Without fail, every evening a few red birds flew around the yard, the crickets became louder as the sun set, the neon lights from the lightening bugs began to flash as the sky turned dark, and the flowers closed the petals for the day. The birds, insects, and everything else around knew that it was time to end the day or pass on the duties to the next shift to keep the ecosystem going. Being very intentional with their time and energy, and moving throughout the day with confidence that tomorrow will take care of itself is a life lesson that the old landmark has embedded in me forever. 

“A landmark is defined as “an event or development that marks a turning point or a stage”

We will reinvent ourselves many times within this lifetime, but if you’re on a journey of self discovery, allow the landmark to show you which way to go and move without wavering. Your old landmark might not be a physical place, but rather a feeling, a dream, or people that will lead you back to yourself. Let the landmark be a grounding place like a confidant or a sounding board to look back knowing it’s always there to support you, ground you, hold you up, advise and keep you on the right path. May you go with faith, charisma, and the confidence that you’re rooted, anchored and you will achieve everything needed to leave behind a landmark for others with your purpose. The road will take twists and turns, it’ll go uphill and downhill, it will be sunny and rainy, sometimes you’ll crawl, walk, run, or fly; but don’t leave the path that the landmark has set for you. Sometimes slowing down and revisiting the past is actually an avenue to speed up. I’m not sure how long this old landmark revisit will last, but as long as it’s working on me and for me, I’m surrendering to it.  

I invite you to watch my film and painting performance The Old Landmark now on YouTube. 

Artist Kris Keys brings memories from her grandma’s backyard in Memphis, TN to The Catskills

The watercolor artist pulls inspiration from the wisdom learned while rolling her grandma’s hair and poured it onto canvas.

Kris Keys is an artist who’s work has proven to be an autobiographical journey of family, health, and self discovery. Her vibrant style of watercolor painting transcends generations telling a story within each stroke of paint. With published works in health journals such as The Lancent Haematology and reoccurring meditative painting experiences at The Los Angeles Arboretum; Kris is a rare artist intertwining the medicinal world with art.

In this new collection COME ROLL MY HAIR, Kris has pulled inspiration from conversations between she and her maternal grandmother while rolling her hair. The global artist with roots in Memphis, TN recalls memories of styling her grandma and great grandma’s hair in the dining room. It’s the space where she learned about her family’s history and her grandmother’s health journey.

“Every time my grandma shares a story about our family, I discover more about myself.”

Kris’ grandma shares a half trait of the genetic blood disorder, Hereditary Elliptocytosis; a rare disorder that causes blood cells to be abnormally shaped. While rolling her hair, Kris explains that she discovered patterns within her family’s health journey. Diabetes has affected both her paternal and maternal grandmothers. The observation of medicine side effects, surgeries, and shift of the quality of life due to her grandmother’s illnesses is something that the artist brings awareness to through the incorporation of medicinal flowers in her work. “I can remember my paternal grandmother having her leg amputated and my maternal grandmother having multiple blood transfusions. After having my gall bladder removed, I thought I have to do something to change the health patterns in my lineage. Yes we have irregular blood cells, but we don’t have to suffer because of it. There are little yet important pieces of information I gathered about the diet and lifestyle of my grandmother that informed my approach to improving my health through flowers.”

Keys explained that this project brought her full circle to the kitchen and backyard of her grandmother’s home. Historically black women began their hair salons in the kitchen of their homes, often warming the hot combs and curlers on the stove. As a child, this backyard has served a space of discovery for her, picking fruit and vegetables from her great grandmother’s garden.

Kris’ 2021 project Genealogy helped her to connect the dots within her family tree. Spending time in Mississippi listening to stories from her elders helped Kris connect the similarities of family and agriculture. This year, she has added another element to the story, hair. Comparing the patterns of hair with the flowers that Keys have studied and crafted into her new flower tea brand are parallels that is evident in her large scale paintings.

“The kitchen and the backyard have always been a place of healing allowing space for conversations and storytelling through cooking, talking, and doing hair. ”

“This is a full circle moment for me because my grandmother has been such a huge inspiration within my lifetime. Unfortunately, my grandmother’s diabetic medication caused her to have problems with her kidneys that is inevitably leading to her transition.” Now that her grandmother is under the care of hospice, Kris explains that this exhibition is important now more than ever.

“I’m literally outside of grandma’s bedroom in the serenity of her backyard pouring her stories onto canvas while she rests inside. Sometimes I’ll bring a finished piece for her to see or show her progress photos. I hope that she can feel the energy of me painting the very stories that she shared with me throughout my lifetime. This collection allows space for reflection and bonding. I want inspire attendees to cherish the moments spent with family, learn about the history, and learn about flowers that heal. The flower medicine knowledge paired with nostalgic hairstyles and patterns within families is a combination that only God could give to me through my life’s experiences.”

Ahead the COME ROLL MY HAIR exhibition and tea tasting opening on May 25, Kris is taking her paintings to the tranquil Amaya Guesthouse in The Catskills. Amaya means the end and beginning of something new, which is so befitting for the concept of this body of work. Nestled along the Catskill Creek with sounds of nature seeping into the home; this mimics the feeling of her grandmother’s backyard and the feeling of the black home perfectly. This show will be an unforgettable experience for everyone who attends.

To RSVP for this one day exhibition in The Catskills in Upstate New York, click the link below.

Brushstrokes of Remembrance: Creating Art in Grandma's Backyard

My beloved Grandma is transitioning, her time with us drawing to a close. Yet, as I prepare for my upcoming solo exhibition, I find myself drawn to this sacred space where we shared countless moments of laughter, love, and storytelling. It's here, amidst the rustle of leaves and the fragrance of blooming flowers, that I seek refuge to grieve, to remember, and to celebrate. The art I'm creating is more than just a collection of paintings—it's a journey through the memories we've shared in the kitchen that sits in front of the backyard. Hair rolling time was sacred because she would open up and tell me stories of her childhood. The lessons she's imparted and the stories are woven into every strand of hair as I rolled them with the iconic sponge rollers. Each canvas is a testament to her resilience, and the wisdom of flower medicine that I wish I could’ve given her throughout my lifetime. One painting, in particular, holds a piece of her essence—a jar of hair grease with a hibiscus flower emerging from the top. It's a tangible reminder of the moments we spent together, lost in conversation, as I tended to her hair with care and reverence. It’s coupled with the flowers I would share with her as I traveled the world learning more about flowers that would help heal out family’s genetic blood disorder. As I pour my grief, my love, and my gratitude onto the canvas, I invite you to join me on this journey of remembrance and reflection. Through my art, may we honor all of our Grandma's legacy, celebrating the beauty of their lives and the richness of the stories they shared. It’s been healing to freeze time and her stories through my watercolor paintings in her backyard. The closeness to her, calmness of nature, and the feeling of being grounded at my family’s home is my strength in this body of work. This exhibition is more than just a display of art; it is a reminder to cherish the moments we have with our loved ones. It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, often forgetting to slow down and appreciate the fleeting moments that make life truly meaningful.

In addition to experiencing the art that chronicles our shared memories, I invite you to indulge in a unique tea tasting of flowers that heal. Join me in The Catskills Upstate New York in a tranquil home that mimics the essence of Grandma’s house. To RSVP for this solo exhibition on May 25th, visit COME ROLL MY HAIR.

The Head Scarf

As long as I can remember, headscarves were worn by the elders in my family. My great grandma and grandma would go to the beauty shop every two weeks to get their hair pressed and curled. To ensure that the curls stayed tight, they rolled their hair with the pink sponge rollers and would keep it in until they had an outing to let the curls loose. If they had to go out for errands like the grocery store, they would tie a scarf around the rollers making it a style. The cotton or silk scarves wrapped with a bow in the back of the neck was iconic especially on a Saturday morning. In Memphis, we had an iconic market called Easy Way, which was a small store full of fresh produce. When I began driving, I would take my great grandma to Easy Way on a Saturday morning to get items for her Sunday dinners. The store was full of older black women with their scarves in tact for a fresh curly hair do on Sunday morning.

My momma in her 20s rocking her head scarf and rollers

Head wraps have a long history within black culture. From African tribes, religion, to enslaved Americans; wraps or scarves have weaved its way through generations. I’ve always viewed it as protection for hair; protecting it from the sun, the rain, the heat, or simply used to keep hair rollers in place as we sleep. The patterns and textures of scarves is something that my elders have utilized not only as a means of protecting their hair but also as a symbol of pride and identity. As a designer, I collect vintage scarves to use as inspiration from its endless motifs, geometric shapes, and painted illustrations. Two years ago, I created a collection of hand painted scarves inspired by my grandmother. The scarves are dyed and painted with flowers found around my grandmother’s home. She was the first person to model the scarves, and now I’m releasing the scarves for Mother’s Day. The scarves now come with the purchase of my floral teas. The teas are wrapped in the fabric that can be used as a head wrap, a fashion accessory, or a face mask. It can also be framed as art. The tea and scarves are available until May 12, 2024.

Mother’s Day Tea and Scarf

Looking Back

Generations: A reflective story through time - Grandma’s story and painting process

Looking Back Original Painting, 36 x 48”, Ink and Acrylic on Canvas

Come Roll My Hair Painting

Inspiration strikes at the most random moments. It was a winter after getting lessons on how to make my grandma’s banana pudding that she asked me to roll her hair. I whipped out the camera and started to film the process showing the details as each strand of hair spiraled around the sponge roller. This inspired me when I got back to California as I layered a silhouette of a woman’s face onto a soft blend of flowers that I’d painted the year prior.

This painting was a stretch because I stepped outside of my comfortable medium of watercolor. Watercolors has been my signature medium since my days of working as a fashion illustrator. Painting this on such a large scale with acrylic was a challenge, but I’m so pleased with the outcome. The original painting is sold. However, prints are available of the painting “Come Roll My Hair.” This painting inspired the collection and helped me to research the patterns of hair, flowers, and family.

Behind the scenes

Rolling Grandma’s Hair

This collection was birthed from a session of hair rolling with my maternal grandma a few years ago. I’d already begun a project tracing my family’s genetic blood disorder. Following the journey of that project, I had the desire to learn more about my family tree. The need to piece together their stories became more of a need as I discovered more about myself. I started to use the hair rolling sessions with my grandma as an opportunity to capture those stories; this time with intention. Hair rolling filled my childhood memories more than anything else as it pertains to my grandmothers. I had 4 grandmas growing up (2 grandmas and 2 great grandmas). They all had different textures of hair and different beauty routines. But all of their stories are woven together in me through the many patterns of hair.

There’s a memorable movement and rhythm to hair rolling. It feels tribal with an evolving of a child sitting between their elder’s legs to get her hair comb to the child standing behind a chair to roll the elder’s hair. A change of roles between generations is beautiful and cycles stories that is necessary for our growth. Every generation gets familiar with the routines, rituals and patterns of the family. I’m using hair as a metaphor to share those stories.

My siblings, cousins, mom, and aunt have all had the opportunity to roll my maternal grandmother’s hair. Each of us have our own technique and share our individual connections to her. This is such a relaxing self care ritual that allows a level of vulnerability and transparency to us. I’m grateful for each hair rolling session I’ve had with all my grandmas throughout my life.