Stitches for the Culture: Past, Present, and Future
July 18 - Sept 30, 2025
Café Logan
The Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts is proud to present Stitches for the Culture: Past, Present, and Future. The exhibition will be on view in Café Logan, 915 E 60th, from July 18 - Sept 30, 2025.
The woman behind KenKreates Crochet Art is Kendra Balans — an energetic and vibrant lover of all things creative. Her passions span visual art, fashion, music, performance, and crafts. She has explored each of these disciplines at different points throughout her life.
Kendra learned to crochet at just 10 years old and has since practiced a variety of techniques. In 2015, she began creating crochet portraits and is excited to share this distinctive art form with the world.
At the heart of Kendra’s work is the expression of her identity as an African American LGBTQ+ woman, wife, and mother. Her art reflects the richness and complexity of that experience. Rooted in the spirit of the African American community is the phrase “Do It for the Culture,” which captures the importance of preserving and honoring heritage through creative expression.
Stitches for the Culture: Past, Present, and Future embodies that sentiment. It features crochet portraits of people close to Kendra, evoking nostalgia from the ’70s and ’80s, as well as iconic figures and cultural trailblazers such as Bisa Butler, Janelle Monáe, Vic Mensa, and Beyoncé. An abstract self-portrait rounds out the collection, symbolizing future possibilities and the ongoing evolution of KenKreates Crochet Art.