Janna Kennedy is a versatile artist whose extensive skill set includes crafting, painting, costuming, scenic painting, prop building, sculpting, and seamstress work. A stalwart member of the Artist Enclave of Historic Kenwood since 2018, Kennedy has also been part of the Dali Zodiacs since 2018 and Florida Craft Art since 2020. Her involvement extends to The Morean and WADA, which she joined in 2021.
Kennedy’s work has significantly contributed to the local community. She participated in the pilot program for the HKNA’s first Finial Art Initiative, creating one of the 16 finials adorning the Historic Kenwood posts. Her work has been featured in major art festivals, including the "CraftArt with a Twist" at the Florida Craft Art Fall Festival in 2020, and she has shown eleven three-dimensional masks at The Art Gallery of Viera, Florida. Her "Notorious RBG" mask won "Best In Show," and her Salvador Dali mask clinched a prize in a New York City Coney Island competition.
Kennedy's creativity and craftsmanship have been recognized in numerous press features. In 2020, she was highlighted in the Tampa Bay Times as the winner of the Congressman Charlie Crist Mask Contest, with the winning mask purchased by Bette Midler. Creative Loafing featured her in their 2019 Creep Issue, detailing her artistic journey from New York City to St. Petersburg. Her distinctive masks of Van Gogh and Magritte are now part of the permanent collection at the NY Public Library. In 2021, Kennedy embarked on a new venture, signing an open-ended contract with Disney to transform her gourd art into various Disney characters. She continues to push the boundaries of her craft, participating in live demonstrations and collaborative art projects like "The Mandella Project" and the "Faces of Addiction" exhibition.
Kennedy's passion for fiber arts began in her early teens, and over the last three decades, she has amassed an impressive collection of vintage yarns, silks, and other materials. Her love for creating and collecting has led her to explore the realm of gourd art, a fascination that started with a simple Christmas ornament and has since evolved into a full-fledged artistic endeavor.
From her first art show in 1975 at the Indialantic Art Show, where she won "Best in Show," to her current explorations in gourd art, Kennedy's artistic journey is marked by continuous evolution and a commitment to bringing imaginative visions to life.
Kennedy’s work has significantly contributed to the local community. She participated in the pilot program for the HKNA’s first Finial Art Initiative, creating one of the 16 finials adorning the Historic Kenwood posts. Her work has been featured in major art festivals, including the "CraftArt with a Twist" at the Florida Craft Art Fall Festival in 2020, and she has shown eleven three-dimensional masks at The Art Gallery of Viera, Florida. Her "Notorious RBG" mask won "Best In Show," and her Salvador Dali mask clinched a prize in a New York City Coney Island competition.
Kennedy's creativity and craftsmanship have been recognized in numerous press features. In 2020, she was highlighted in the Tampa Bay Times as the winner of the Congressman Charlie Crist Mask Contest, with the winning mask purchased by Bette Midler. Creative Loafing featured her in their 2019 Creep Issue, detailing her artistic journey from New York City to St. Petersburg. Her distinctive masks of Van Gogh and Magritte are now part of the permanent collection at the NY Public Library. In 2021, Kennedy embarked on a new venture, signing an open-ended contract with Disney to transform her gourd art into various Disney characters. She continues to push the boundaries of her craft, participating in live demonstrations and collaborative art projects like "The Mandella Project" and the "Faces of Addiction" exhibition.
Kennedy's passion for fiber arts began in her early teens, and over the last three decades, she has amassed an impressive collection of vintage yarns, silks, and other materials. Her love for creating and collecting has led her to explore the realm of gourd art, a fascination that started with a simple Christmas ornament and has since evolved into a full-fledged artistic endeavor.
From her first art show in 1975 at the Indialantic Art Show, where she won "Best in Show," to her current explorations in gourd art, Kennedy's artistic journey is marked by continuous evolution and a commitment to bringing imaginative visions to life.
Janna Kennedy
Artist