Meet & Greet Artist Carrie King of "Velourian Visions" Exhibit

Velourian Visions features 20 original works of art by Carrie King AKA King Art Babe, on display on the 2nd Floor of the Hayward Downtown Library through October 7, 2022. Meet and greet Carrie King in front of the exhibit on the 2nd Floor.

Artist Statement:
The day after Sasha Velour's winning rose-petal-filled lip-sync at the 9th season finale of RuPaul's Drag Race, I was compelled to create art for her. But, I wanted my work to be more than mere fan art. So I generated an inquiry to follow down a rabbit hole of art-making. So, I formed the following question "Who is Sasha Velour to me, and how has knowing her altered my identity?" With Sasha as my muse, my inquiry question inspired and focused my work for years. But when I started performing in drag, my inquiry question evolved to, "how does taking on my drag identity cultivate confidence not usually present?" Getting into drag felt like putting on a superhero costume that grants actual superpowers.   

When I met Sasha for the first time in August 2017, I gave her a piece (that now hangs in her kitchen), and she signed my drawing, 'All this Beauty," which usually hangs above my make-up mirror to help me channel her ferocity while I paint my face. Sasha graciously signed each of these works at various events over the last five years.

*Sasha Velour is a genderfluid drag queen, global theater star, actor, writer, creative director, and award-winning television producer.

Co-sponsored by Hayward Arts Council and Hayward Public Library.