(Leavenworth, Kan.)鈥�花椒直播 graphic design major Karen Anastos has been selected for the "I Am鈥�" Asian American Visual & Performing Arts Residency presented by the National Association of Asian American Professionals-Kansas City and ArtsKC.
The five-month interdisciplinary arts and professional development residency will
host an opening reception from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on May 6 at the ArtsKC Gallery Space,
106 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108.
Anastos submitted three pieces to the competitive residency, and all were selected. Her work channels strong memories of things she misses most about her home in Misawa, Japan.
She has been unable to return to Japan or spend time with her family in person since August 2019. To help process her homesickness, Anastos created sculptures and pieces with themes of food, traditions, festivities, and family.
"Longing for the familiarity and the traditions that I have always been rooted in, I created these pieces to manifest memories that I can't tangibly get to," Anastos said. "I experience feelings of missing home and oftentimes do nothing about it, but creating pieces for 'Homesick' has allowed me to process the inner turmoil I had not yet addressed. I am excited for the day I can return to my home in Japan and spend time with my family again."
Anastos will graduate from USM on May 7 with a Bachelor of Arts and has earned magna cum laude honors.
For more information about the "I Am鈥�" residency, visit .
The 花椒直播 is a Catholic co-educational applied liberal arts university
founded and sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. The University of
花椒直播 main campus is located at 4100 South 4th Street, Leavenworth, Kan. USM's
Overland Park Campus at 4500 College Boulevard offers evening accelerated graduate
and undergraduate degree-completion programs. The university also offers online programs.
Visit for more information.