Kenji Art Design

Kenji Tanner’s Biography

Welcome to the world of the internationally acclaimed surrealist artist Kenji, as she presents her current collection of work. Here is your opportunity to join the many prominent collectors such as Maxine Waters, Randy Crawford, Smokey Robinson, Al Jarreau, Lou Rawls, and others in embracing Kenji’s inspiring and sensitive visions.

In addition to the many private collections, her work is received nationally through her commissioned pieces. Such as BMG Music Distribution, Universal Music Distribution, Magic Johnson Pan African, and others. Also, her works have been displayed in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Atlanta, New York, Baltimore and Monterey.

Kenji has perfected fresh techniques that add extended movement and innovation to her work. Motivated by her environment and life experience, Kenji remains dedicated to exhibiting dynamic visions that inspire contemplation. She combines passion in her desire to maintain integrity in her work.

When viewing the artistic work of Kenji, whose professional career spans over more than decade, one immediately recognizes the natural and spiritual development of her inborn talent. Her paintings illustrate the diversity and development of Kenji’s artistic vision. With many pieces sold out and hanging in numerous homes and galleries across the country, Kenji introduces new works that transcend her past creations and represent her growth and change as a visionary within the art community.

During the Vietnam war, Kenji joined the Equal Rights Congress which was a nationwide organization whose goals were to bring together people of color, including Mexicans and African American youth. To inspire them to stop the hatred and gang violence that perpetuated throughout the communities Kenji introduced them to art, music and the spoken word. Kenji was instrumental in starting diversified cultural groups both Hispanic and African American combined. She encouraged the young people to see the similarities and to recognize the historical disadvantages of both nationalities. She organized bands and poetry reading and set up various art projects in the community that enhanced greater self esteem. These programs helped to guide young people and their families in coming together for a greater cause. Kenji's musical groups performed across the nation including Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta and northern California, particularly Berkeley and San Francisco.

Following her desires to help direct African American young woman, Kenji joined Black Woman's Network in Los Angeles and spoke frequently on Career Day at various schools in the Los Angeles area regarding Self Esteem and the need to "Step Up To Your Plate" which inspired many students to see their value in society and reach goals they had only dreamed about. Kenji also served as a volunteer at local schools for after school programs and continued teaching her self esteem art program. She used her artistic abilities to create programs that demonstrated how to live outside the box.

She has also donated her time to help Woman Of Color in the Los Angeles area with their yearly fund raiser assisting in the decor and design of their program as well as painting consignment work for the theme of their fund raiser.

Kenji worked with her church ministry for seven years as the Pre-teen Youth Director.

She taught Sunday School, assisted in the summer youth trips, oversaw the yearly car wash and bake sale which raised monies for the pre-teens to attend summer camp. She was instrumental in helping the youth to find the good in their life and sway them from drugs and gang violence.

Kenji was awarded from Coca Cola the "Salute To the Black Family" award, by then mayor Tom Bradley for her outstanding contributions in the community. She was given a financial award as well as a dinner in her honor where many of notoriety attended.

Her many years in the music industry, operating three stores with her husband Seth afforded her many opportunities to bring the community and families together to take pride in their community. She and her husband organized their yearly community festival entitled "Pride through Art and Music" which included all the major music distribution companies participation, poetry reading by the youth, and an art contest based on pride and soul. Kenji prepared food, decorations, art booths and they invited to perform major artist. Many community organizations and churches set up booths and participated in bringing harmony to the community.

Because music was so popular with the youth and was a tool that would get their attention, Kenji brought her Self Esteem Workshop to the Middle Schools in the local neighborhoods. Kenji was awarded and recognized for her contributions by the educators of the community. Kenji is presently a member of the Salinas Art Congress and is teaching Self Esteem art classes as a part of the Art Council for Monterey County. She was recently commissioned by Universal Music Distribution National Committee to comprise a painting for Motown and Stax records 50th anniversary 2009. Her Painting will be on the Black History Month Collection CD along with a poster of the painting to be sold in nationwide Targets, Wal-Marts and all music retail stores.

After being a single mom of four, working three jobs to make ends meet, they are all now very proud of their mother's art and share with her the inspiration she has given them.

“My philosophy is to honor what’s in my heart as an artist. My Japanese and African American traditions have provided me with a wellspring of feelings that emerge from within. Conveying these insights and experiences with texture and color gives me the advantage to bring my personal connection of painting to my work as well as inspiring our young people to discover and evolve what’s in their hearts. Art affords me the freedom to paint personal experiences that appear in all our lives on a daily basis. In doing so I am able to share with others what I perceive along with the collectors view point of their own insights and perspective into my work. The work then takes on a human commonality.”

Even with her demanding schedule, Kenji includes lectures, workshops and self esteem classes to children of all ages.