Today we’d like to introduce you to Kemare Garner.
Hi Kemare, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Art is my soul calling. I was fortunate enough to have parents who supported me but the journey was not easy. As a child of divorce, I often found myself alone and confided into art to express my emotions. My dad worked seven days a week to provide a roof over my family’s head while my mom tried the best to her ability to be there but struggled with her own emotions and mental health. I was introduced to crystals at the age of 10 through my mom and began to study them throughout my teen years. My life consisted of practicing art, attending school, and creating jewelry for my family and friends.
In 2017, my dad ran into some legal troubles which caused my family to experience an extreme financial loss. In February 2019, my former partner passed away from suicide and a month later, my mom passed away unexpectedly from a brain aneurysm which forced me to drop off of school to help support my love ones. I fell into a deep spell of depression and anxiety.
I remember sitting in my car one day crying uncontrollably about everything I have experienced in my life. I didn’t want to continue to feel like life’s victim so I started to brainstorm of ways I can express my pain and what I’m doing to heal from it. I picked up my paintbrush again and started painting exactly how I felt. I made a promise to my mom prior before her passing that I would continue to paint until that became my permanent career in life. I also wanted to introduce my mom to the world so I created a small business called Sanative Boutique, which I sell my handcrafted crystal jewelry in honor of my mom’s teachings.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road for me. Far from it. I had to teach myself not to fear happiness because it felt whenever something good would happen for me, something bad was near. The biggest struggle was my mom’s passing. I didn’t expect it and my support system couldn’t understand what it was like to lose a parent. I no longer had a parent figure guiding my steps or someone to call and speak to everyday who showed and given me unconditional love. My mental health was also a challenge for me because I didn’t know the proper way to cope or heal from my depression. Everyday was a constant battle with my mind but I used those emotions to paint or create new designs for the boutique. Life isn’t easy, but it’s most certainly worth every little moment. Those moments are what defines us.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’d like to think of myself as a creator and healer. I create to heal to put it in simpler terms. I’m positive that people would know me to be an artist. I’m most proud of the amount of art I have created since 2019. At the time, I only had two paintings and now I have over ten. My proudest moment is after my mom died, my favorite artist Sue Tsai reached out to me to randomly check on me one day. I met her at Wynwood and we spoke briefly but she remembered me several months later. When I told her my mom passed away, she sent me a pair of her shoes signed from her studio in New York. I cried because I only told my mom before she passed that I wanted those shoes so I kind of considered that as her goodbye gift to me. Sue told me she was proud of me and to keep going no matter what life threw my way. “Express your emotions through your art”. At that point, I knew I had to keep going.
What sets me different from most artists is that my art is in a category of its own. Some may call it “cartoon realism” and I’m okay with that! With my boutique and my art, my overall message it to bring forth and spread healing. Everyday I work to combine both.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memory is standing in the kitchen with my mom. She would always hand me the bowl of leftover chocolate and tell me to share it with my brother. I remember I would tell my mom what my dream and aspirations were in life and she would listen then encourage me to reach for the sky. My mom always supported my dreams no matter how crazy they were.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.sanativeboutique.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/ke.garner?igshid=NDA1YzNhOGU=
- Other: https://instagram.com/sanativeboutique?igshid=NjY2NjE5MzQ=
Image Credits
Isaiah Smith (@lawrence.productions) as the photographer.
