Keo Genus
Visual Arts Teacher

Keo Genus is an emerging artist in Hawaii. He grew up in California, and attended UC Santa Cruz for Art, Community Studies and Environmental Studies. He pursued his passion for art by obtaining a graduate degree (M.F.A) at Northern Illinois University (NIU).  For Keo, being an artist is the American Dream, a chance to create art and be recognized by his community for his creative works . However, after graduating from NIU, he felt a calling to serve in the US Peace Corps as an Environmental Education volunteer. In the Peace Corps, he worked with schools, youth groups and community leaders to promote eco-restoration, awareness of national and global environmental issues, and environmental appreciation (which included teaching drawing and photography in his community, Aregua, Paraguay). 

His service in the Peace Corps would suspend his journey in art until after he had graduated from UH Manoa in 2015 with a Masters in Social Work and a certificate in Conflict Resolution.  Currently, Keo is an artist promoting his project “Made on the Zoo Fence” a project centered on refining his voice in art - wayfinding. He displays his work every weekend at the Honolulu Zoo Fence, a weekend art exhibition and market while teaching at SEEQS.

I work at SEEQS because I believe that sustainability is the key to all of our life’s journeys (especially in art practice).  A sustainable art practice requires mindfulness on the very limited art materials and resources and aims for conservation and longevity for all the tools we use.