Sukenya Best moved with her family to Richmond, and it has been her home for over 10 years. She is an alumnus from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), where she received her Master of Fine Arts Degree in 2007. There she studied in the Printmaking Program (ranked #3 nationally). In 2001, earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Department of Painting and Printmaking. During her undergraduate studies at VCU she also studied abroad in Europe and Africa.
Internationally, Sukenya's artwork is in the collection of New Delhi, and Gujarat India. In the states, exhibitions have taken place at the Community Artist’s Collective (Texas), Museum of Science & Industry (Chicago), Pen & Brush Inc. (New York), Pittsburgh Center for the Arts (Pennsylvania), Kansas City Art Institute (Missouri), Corcoran School of Arts (Washington DC) and the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen (Virginia). In the spring of 2008 she was featured in the international publication of "Studio Visit Magazine," and in the summer of 2010 she was recognized as an exhibitor/performer for Virginia's "Women in the Arts Celebration."
Sukenya has worked in multiple areas with professional artists such as: Whitfield Lovell, Millicent Johnnie, Roger Shimomura, John Newman, Beauvais Lyons, and Anita Jung. In Richmond she has taken class with the Latin Ballet of Virginia, and worked for them as an art instructor. Sukenya has also collaborated with Circle Modern Dance Company (Knoxville, TN), and in 2015 together they presented a performance at the Southern Graphics Council International Conference.
As a past instructor at Virginia Union University, she attended a college tour-abroad trip to Italy and France, which resulted in a published a cartoon book called "Chocolate Bella." Her book is currently available for purchase through Lulu, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.
Currently, Sukenya is one of two Coordinators for "Virginia Museum of Fine Arts On the Road."
Curriculum Vitae(click on the title, on the left, to view and print longer PDF version).
EDUCATION: 2007 MFA University of Tennessee, Knoxville Concentration: Printmaking
2001 BFA Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond Concentration: Painting and Printmaking
2000 Polytechnic School of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Study Abroad 1999 The National Gallery, London, Study Abroad
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 2018-Present Virginia Museum of Fine Arts On the Road Coordinator, Art and Education Division, Richmond, VA
TEACHING EXPERIENCE: 2018-2012 Instructor in Fine Arts, Virginia Union University Richmond, VA In the Fine Arts Department I am responsible for visual art courses in the Fine Arts Department: painting, printmaking, drawing, and design. 2011-2010 Faculty, Virginia Union University, Richmond, VA In the department of Humanities and Social Science I am responsible for teaching drawing, painting, and design courses. 2013-2008 Assistant Professor, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Richmond, VA In the department of Humanities, and Social Sciences I am responsible for teaching drawing, painting, and design courses. 2008 Instructor, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA During the VCUarts Summer Intensive Program I taught a two week painting course. This program gave high school students a chance to create paintings for their college admissions' portfolio. 2007-2005 Graduate Teaching Associate, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN Solely responsible for teaching on section each semester of basic drawing or intermediate color and design. In addition to assisting six hours per week in printmaking courses.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS: 2017 Dancing Ink, Conference Center Gallery at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Richmond, VA 2016 "Flag Series:Fingers Tracing Places of Aspiration," Elegba Folklore Society, Richmond, VA 2014 "Dancing Ink," Artspace Gallery, Richmond, VA 2010 "Setting on a Rise," Gellman Room, Richmond Public Library: Main Library, Richmond, VA 2007 "Bare Sole 2," 312 Gallery, Richmond, VA " Bare Sole," MFA Thesis Exhibition, Fluorescent Gallery, Knoxville, TN 2005 "We went Over and Around," 1010 Gallery, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
JURIED EXHIBITIONS: 2013 "Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition," Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, IL 2009 "All Media Show," Art Works Inc., Juror Anne Hart Chay, Richmond, VA "Decadence," Cultural Art Center at Glen Allen, Juror Christaphora Robeers,Glen Allen, VA 2008 "Hands Heads Hearts," Pen and Brush Gallery, Awarded Honorable Mention, Juror Howardena Pindell, New York, NY 2006 "Migration of the African Diaspora," The Women of Vision Inc., Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Juror Lydia Thompson, Pittsburgh, PA