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about

biography

Carrie Usmar is an artist, writer, and stay at home mother living in rural Rhode Island with her husband and four children. Living in day-to-day isolation and raising kids in a never enough culture has made her value the beauty of being real and the art of slowing down. Her narrative work is devoted to exposing shame, being vulnerable, and building connection. She uses a documentary practice to address the stigmas of domestic motherhood and depression.

 

Usmar received a BFA from the University of Rhode Island with a focus in photography and filmmaking. She has exhibited in group exhibitions at Rhode Island Center For Photographic Arts, Newport Art Museum, Hera Gallery, and The Curated Fridge as well as online exhibitions on The Luupe, L.A. Photo Curator, and Lenscratch. She also received best series in the Women Seen By Women category of the 18th Julia Margaret Cameron Awards and best series in the Culture and Daily Life category in the 18th Pollux Awards. She is also a top 200 finalist for 2022 Critical Mass.

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EDUCATION

2009

            University Of Rhode Island

             Bachelor Of Fine Arts

 
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

 

2023

            Fourth Annual Juried Members Spotlight Exhibition, Juror: Emily Belz, RI Center For Photographic Arts, Providence RI

            

            Local Voices: A Hera Invitations Exhibition On Motherhood, Hera Gallery, Wakefield, RI

 

            Procreate Project Archive at Lewisham Shopping Centre, London, UK

 

            Third Annual Community Members Invitational, RI Center For Photographic Arts, Providence, RI

 

2022 

            Fourth Annual Juried Members Exhibition, Juror: Kristin Street, RI Center For Photographic Arts, Providence RI

Summer 2022, Juror: Aline Smithson, The Curated Fridge

 

8th International Call For Art, Juror: Jessica Roscio, RI Center for Photographic Arts, Providence, RI

2022 Newport Biennial, Juror: Dr Kimberli Gant, PhD, Newport Art Museum, Newport, RI

2009   

URI Senior Student Showcase, Gallery Z, Providence, RI

 

            Imago Fem, West Side Arts, Providence, RI

 

2008   

URI Senior Student Thesis, Fine Art Center, Kingston, RI

 

 

ONLINE EXHIBITIONS

2023

            Visions Of Motherhood 2023, The Luupe

 

            #WomenWhoCare Campaign, Fem Lens

            How We See Ourselves 2023, The Luupe

2022   

How We See Ourselves 2022, The Luupe

 

            Love Our Children, Curator: Laurie Frietag, L.A. Photo Curator

 

            The “I” A Call for Self Portraiture, Curator: Ellen Friedlander, L.A. Photo Curator

 

2021   

Storyteller’s Exhibition, RI Center For Photographic Arts

 

AWARDS AND GRANTS

 

2023

            Eddie Adams Workshop Class of XXXVI

            Mother Art Prize Shortlist 2023

2022   

           Top 200 Critical Mass Finalist 2022

 

Best Series, Non Professional Culture And Daily Life Category, 18th Pollux Awards

Lenscratch Feature Winner, The Curated Fridge Summer 2022, Juror: Aline Smithson

 

Best Series, Non-Professional Women Seen By Women Category, 18th Julia Margaret Cameron Awards

 

            Honorable Mention for “Actively Listens”, The “I” A Call for Self Portraiture, Curator: Ellen Friedlander, L.A. Photo Curator

 

PRESS

 

2022   

             Revisiting A Project, The Crit House, Jeff Larason

            The Curated Fridge: Carrie Usmar: Resume Of A Stay At Home Mom, Lenscratch September 2022

18th Julia Margaret Cameron Awards, Fotonostrum Magazine, Issue 27, June 2022

 

A Critique of “Resume Of A Stay At Home Mom” on The Crit House with reviewers Phil Penman and Derek Fahsbender

 

            Audio Guide of “Laundry Specialist” at The Newport Biennial, Newport Art Museum, Newport RI

MEMBERSHIPS

2023

            Hera Gallery Associate Member

            Rhode Island Center For Photographic Arts

            Griffin Museum

Updated 08/01/23

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