Indiana artist Cagney King

Mixed media artist Cagney King (Credit: Frank Espich)

Cagney King has been a student of art since she was able to hold a pencil. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, she now lives in the Pendleton/Fortville area, west of Indianapolis, and creates primarily out of a studio in Greenfield. She works mostly in oils and graphite, but has been experimenting with mixed media more and more of late. Although formally trained at Ball State University and Herron School of Art and Design, King attributes most of her true art education to self-exploration and trial by fire. King was recently featured on WFYI's Art of the Matter and is a founding studio member of The Artists Upstairs Studio Group in Greenfield. Her exhibition this First Friday is her first major solo exhibition in Indianapolis.

"Working in a studio is an experience that has become necessary. It's a release, an escape. I can be free. I can be with my tools, I can be with my paint, I can be with my canvas and I can be with my thoughts, and let all of those culminate and work together. That's a pretty special thing, and I think it's become very important for my creativity peak, but also my well-being. If I'm not painting, I'm not happy." - Cagney King, mixed media artist, Greenfield