Artist bio

Fu’una (Chamoru / i taotao tåno) is a creation goddess currently inhabiting the mortal form legally catalogued as Kameko Branchaud. She is a descendant of an indigenous village displaced by colonial powers, and also the daughter of a veteran and martial arts instructor. She is an embodiment of globalization and her illustrative works attempt to process the inter-related influences of history, power, and heritage on the environment and the psyche. She has lived in five regions of America and uses photography, drawing, and research to connect with her surroundings. Animals and botanicals are her personal ambassadors and often appear in her work. 

Fu’una is primarily a two-dimensional artist specializing in murals and soft pastel. While stylistically fluid, her artwork is most easily recognized for its sensitivity and expert use of color. She has painted murals in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Florida, Guam, and California. She has collaborated with schools, businesses, and individuals in mural designs and curatorial projects. In 2017 her mural “So Pretty It Hurts” won first place in Punto Urban Art Museum’s juried mural competition of 20 local artists. For her community-based work, she was awarded an Appreciation Award from the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem in 2017. In 2013 she received the Vital Contribution to the Community Award from Rhode Island College as well as the AfterZone Champion Award from the Providence After School Alliance.

Fu’una earned her MA in Art + Design Education from RISD in 2014 and her BS in Art Education from Rhode Island College in 2013. She has a lengthy history of developing community-based arts programming, and a demonstrable commitment to advancing racial equity in the arts.

Education

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Master of Arts, Art + Design Education 2014

Rhode Island College, Bachelor of Science, Art Education 2013

Honors + Awards

Pawtucket Arts Collaborative Foundation Show First Honorable Mention, 2022

Punto Urban Art Museum first place honors, 2017

Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem Appreciation Award, 2017

RISD Graduate Studies Grant, 2014

AfterZone Champion Award, Providence After School Alliance (PASA), 2013

RISD Fellowship and Scholarship, RISD, 2013

Amgen Fellowship, RISD, 2013

Graduate Division Fellowship, RISD, 2013

Vital Contribution to the Community Award, Rhode Island College, 2013

Dorothy R. Pieniadz Scholarship, Rhode Island College, 2012

Murals

2023

The Next Great Flood of Providence, private commission, Providence RI

Dream Big / Work Hard, Providence Art Culture Tourism + RFK Elementary School, Providence RI

Yayoi Kusama portrait, Link Street LLC + The Avenue Concept, Providence RI

2022

Georgia O’Keeffe portrait, Link Street LLC + The Avenue Concept, Providence RI

401: After Winter Must Come Spring, The Avenue Concept, Providence RI

2019

U ok?, Punto Urban Art Museum, Salem MA

Kung Fu Kitty, Witch City Kitty cat convention, Salem MA

School of Rock, School of Rock, Seekonk MA

Eels, private commission, Boston MA

African Wild Dog vs Hyena, private commission, Westerly RI

Newport Art Museum School façade, collaboration with teen participants in MuSE, Newport RI

2018

Snail, The Raw Project, South Miami FL

Patrick the Bearded Collie, unFURgettable Pet Resort, Hanover MA

Moose the Cat, unFURgettable, Hanover MA

Rock the Block event t-shirt, Downtown Lynn Cultural District, Lynn MA

But wait, there’s a thing, Beyond Walls, Lynn MA

Give Some Love, participatory piece for Punto Urban Art Museum fundraiser, Salem MA

Goal Wall, collaboration with teens at LEAP for Education, Salem MA Welcome to New Liberty, collaboration with students at New Liberty Innovation School, Salem MA

Zanshin, Kodokai Dojo, North Smithfield RI

2017

So Pretty It Hurts, Punto Urban Art Museum, Salem MA. First place honors; juried

Seeker of the Forbidden Sandwich!, Salem Mural Slam, Salem MA

Bodhisattva Bernie, Red Fence Gallery, Beverly MA

2010 - 2012

The Evolution of Writing, Rhode Island College, Providence RI. Teaching Assistant for Munir Mohammed’s Mural Design Course

Mural assistant to Munir Mohammed on murals in Providence, Fall River, and Pawtucket

Bridgham Bears, Bridgham Middle School, Providence RI. Collaboration with AfterZoneyouth.

Dragon, Bridgham Middle School, Providence RI. Collaboration with AfterZone youth.

Exhibitions

Providence Biennial: Poesis (invitational), Waterfire Arts Center, Providence RI 2023

27,000 Miles, Atrium Gallery, Providence RI 2023 (solo exhibition)

Community Invitational Exhibition, Providence Art Club, Providence RI 2022

Flower Show, Attleboro Art Museum, Attleboro MA 2022

Foundation Show, Pawtucket Arts Collaborative, Pawtucket RI, 2022 (recipient of First Honorable Mention, juror Michael Rose)

Newport Art Museum School Instructor Exhibition, Newport Art Museum School Community Gallery, Newport RI 2019

Primxs/es, The Center for Reconciliation, Providence RI 2019

Flower Show, Attleboro Arts Museum, Attleboro MA 2019 (juried)

ArtFest 2017, Endicott College, Beverly MA 2017 (juried)

GAX 9 for Festival of Pacific Arts, Guam Art Exhibit, Tumon, Guam 2016

Artists At Work, Smithsonian Ripley Center, Washington, D.C. 2015 (juried)

Hali’ Taotao Santa Rita, Santa Rita Senior Center, Santa Rita, Guam installation 2014

GAX VII, Guam Art Exhibit,Tumon, Guam 2014

The Lost Museum, Brown University and Mark Dion, Providence RI 2014

RIC Student and Alumni Exhibit, Artist Cooperative Gallery of Westerly, Westerly RI 2014

Peepshow II, Studio Mustard, Providence RI 2013

Arc of Alchemy, Sol Koffler Gallery, Providence RI 2013

GAX VI, Guam Art Exhibit, Tumon, Guam 2013

Scintilla, Machines with Magnets, Pawtucket RI 2013

Senior Exhibition, Bannister Gallery, Providence RI 2013

Creative Feminisms, URI Feinstein Providence Campus Gallery, Providence RI 2013

Harvest, Light, Celebration, Alta Luna Gallery, Bristol RI 2012 (juried)

My Story, Our Communities, RISCA Atrium Gallery, Providence RI 2012

Peepshow, Machines with Magnets Peepshow, Pawtucket RI 2012

Moments in Time, Warwick Museum of Art, Warwick RI 2012

Remembering, Attleboro Art Museum, Attleboro MA 2012

Third State Annual Asian Art Exhibition, RISCA Atrium Gallery, Providence RI 2012

Lessons in Impermanence (solo exhibition), Johnson and Wales University Intercultural Center, Providence RI 2012

Apothecary (window installation), Bannister Gallery, Providence RI 2011

Tiniest Salon, Bannister Gallery, Providence RI 2011

Curatorial + Reviewer experience

Reviewer, SPUR Fund, RISD Research, 2022

Reviewer, National Endowment for the Arts Our Town endorsement, City of Austin Cultural Arts Division, 2021

Reviewer, Community Initiatives, City of Austin Cultural Arts Division, 2020 - 2021

Founder, Visible Spectrum, RI 2018 - present

Curator, Newport Art Museum School Instructor Exhibition, Newport Art Museum School, Newport RI, 2019

Juror, Winter Member’s Exhibition, Providence Art Club, Providence RI 2019

Curator with Showgirls Artist Collective, Peepshow II, Studio Mustard, Providence RI 2013

Curator, My Story, Our Communities, RISCA Atrium Gallery, Providence RI 2012

Curtator with Showgirls Artist Collective, Peepshow, Machines with Magnets Peepshow Pawtucket RI 2012

Teaching + Arts administration

Associate Director, CE Pre-Collegiate and Youth Programs, RISD 2023 - present

Program Manager, CE Adult Extension, RISD, 2022 - 2023

City of Austin, Cultural Funding Specialist, 2020 - 2022

Visible Spectrum: An Arts Opportunity Channel, Founder, online, 2018 - present

Newport Art Museum, Director of Education, Newport RI 2018 - 2019

Peabody Essex Museum (PEM), Connected Learning Developer, Salem MA 2016 - 2018

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Family Programs and Design Camp Coordinator, New York, NY 2015

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Education Assistant, New York, NY 2014 – 2015

Press

Zuckerman, Faye. “Interview with LocalArtist Fu’una.” risca.online, 23 Feb 2023.

Belmore, Ryan. “Fu’una’s artwork to be featured in upcoming exhibit at RISCA’s Atrium Gallery.” What’s Up Newport, 20 Dec 2022.

Salkind, Micah. “Finalists for Mural at RFK Elemetary School.” artculturetourism.com, 24 Oct 2022.

Wilson, Jennifer. “Fall on the Streets: Walking around PVD Artfully.” Motif, 12 Sept. 2022.

Rose, Michael. “Artist to Know: Fu’una.” Go Local Prov, 10 Aug 2022.

Rodríguez-Drix, Gina. “Finalists for the Ground Mural at Bailey/Baxter Green School Yard.” The City of Providence Department of Art, Culture, + Tourism, 16 June 2022.

Thibeault, Melanie. “Community Weighs in on Design for Payne Park Mural.” The Valley Breeze, 21 April 2020.

"Modica Way 'Paint Party." Seen Around Boston, 10 Jun 2019.

"MuSE Program Gives Teens In-Depth Look At Museum Work." Newport Daily News, 11 May 2019.

"Newport Art Museum’s Branchaud Selected as Judge." Newport Daily News, 1 Feb 2019.

Flanagan, Mollie. "Rhode Island Cultural Anchor: Kameko Branchaud." risca.online, 19 Feb 2019.

"A refreshed vision in store at the School at Newport Art Museum." Newport Daily News, 8 Sep 2018.

Branchaud, Kameko. "A.P. Art Students Respond to PEM." pem.org, 225 Jul 2018.

Pampuro, Amanda. “Gallery Pops Up Over Gap’s Grave.” The Guam Daily Post, 17 July 2016.

Solondz, Simone. "Design Up Close." risd.edu, 12 Feb 2015.

Presentations + Workshops

Guest presenter, Arts in Context graduate course, RISD 2023

Panelist, Public Art at Horace Mann Hall, Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, 2023

Guest presenter, “Collaborative Aesthetics,” Providence Art Club Lecture Series, 2022

Guest speaker, Critical Investigations in Arts Learning graduate course, RISD, 2020

Portfolio reviewer, RISD Pre-college, RISD 2019

Workshop presenter, “Sci-Fi and Horror Movie Poster Design,” RI Foundation 2019

Guest speaker, Contemporary Practices in Art + Design Education graduate course, RISD 2019

Panelist, “Murals, Contested Public Spaces, and Belonging: Public Art in the Age of Displacement”, Providence Symposium 2018

Presenter, “Introduction to Museums”, LEAP for Education and Salem High School 2018

Presenter, “Visitors of Color,” LEAP for Education, 2017

Presenter, supported several Cooper Hewitt sessions including special sessions with Tim Gunn, National Art Education Association (NAEA), New Orleans, 2016

Regional Connections

Has lived in RI, CA, WA, MA, NY, GU, and TX