Born in Buffalo, NY and raised on the Seneca Cattaraugus Indian Reservation, Ruth Anne Keyes is a mixed-media artist and community organizer pursuing a BFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her work explores the intersectionality of femininity, indigeneity, and culture; drawing from lived experiences growing up on the reservation. Growing up rooted in community and cultural art heavily influences her art practice. 

During her second semester at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Keyes re-established the Indigenous Students Association creating space for Native and Indigenous students within the Institute and Chicagoland area. Over the past three years, she's curated, organized and facilitated many different community events highlighting indigenous joy as resistance. 

Along with curating events, Saturn Dougherty and Ruth Keyes, co-leaders of ISA, curated their first exhibition, Harvest. An exhibition developed with the John M. Flaxman Library and special collections at the School of The Art Institute of Chicago. Keyes has been invited to do an artist talk at the Gichigamiin Museum in Evanston IL, and she’s spoken to a class at the Center for Native Futures about her community work, artist practice and continued collaboration with the CfNF. 

Keyes has exhibited work at Sweetest Seasons at the Goodman Theater and within two SAIC exhibitions. She has also performed as part of a drum group, Good Medicine Gang that performed Wampum / ᎠᏕᎳ ᏗᎦᎫᏗ with Elisa Harkins at the MCA Chicago.

Email: ruthanne012@gmail.com