Education

• M.F.A. New York Academy of Art, New York, NY
• B.A. Bethany Lutheran College, Studio Art, Mankato, MN
• CE at The Art Students League of New York

Academic Interests

Art History, figurative painting, identity creation (graphic design), impact of the Reformation on Modern Art  

Teaching Philosophy

I believe my privilege as a teacher is to cultivate resilience, curiosity, and connections. Having received my education in the liberal arts, I focus on finding connections across history and various subjects. In my lessons, I weave through schools of thought by using visual, aural, musical, and verbal touchpoints. I highlight intended learning outcomes that are supported by real-life examples. In assignments, I include self-reflection questions in order to help my students subjectively envision the course’s goals which keeps them personally invested in reaching the learning outcomes.  

Research

Charis’ artistic work is grounded in the Lutheran concept of simul justus et peccator, which she expands to explore concepts that can mean more than one thing. In her art, Charis investigates the imperfect human’s complicated relationship to ambition, exploitation, preservation, decay, and desire. 

Awards

• Artist in Residence, Weir Farm National Historic Park, Wilton, CT, 2025
• Artist in Residence, The Potato Farm Project, Jamesport, NY, 2025
• Honorable Mention, Contemporary Realism, Mills Pond Gallery, Smithtown NY, 2020
• Juror’s Mention, Arborescent, Alex Ferrone Gallery, Cutchogue, NY, 2020
• Creative Individual Grant, NYSCA Long Island, Huntington Arts Council, Huntington, NY, 2020
• Artist in Residence, Artists Off Grid, near Fort Collins, CO, 2018
• Piano Artist, Sing For Hope, New York, NY, 2016
• Juror’s Award, Representational Art in the 21st Century, Wailoa Center, Hilo, HI, 2015
• People’s Choice Award, Solus Christus, Martin Luther College, New Ulm, MN, 2010
• First Place 2-D, Purchase, and People’s Choice Awards, 13th Annual Prairie Lakes Regional Juried Art Exhibition, Mankato MN, 2005
• Honorable Mention, CrossView Christian Arts Festival, Edina MN, 2004
• Purchase Award, Student Art Exhibition, Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato MN, 2001

Service

Resident Artist, Graphic Designer, Interior Coordinator – Grace of God Lutheran Church, Dix Hills, NY (2022-present) 

Various Leadership Roles – Alumni Association of the New York Academy of Art, New York, NY (Advisor 2025-present, Secretary 2023-2025, Advisor 2021-2023, President 2011-2015, Chair of Communications 2009-2011)

Christian Women’s Leadership Circle, Marketing and Communications Committee – Wisconsin Lutheran College, Milwaukee, WI (2018-2020)

LutheranArts.org, Artists Committee (2013-2019) 

Publicist, Graphic Designer – WELS Labor Day Retreat, Great Barrington, MA (2011-2015) 

Resident Artist, Graphic Designer, Interior Coordinator – Sure Foundation Lutheran Church, Woodside, NY (2006-2012)

Assistant Coordinator – Anatomical Dissection, New York Academy of Art, New York, NY (2008/2011)
Board Member/Advisor – Spark and Echo Arts, New York, NY 2011-2019

Publications

Illustrator. “Mysteries of Christmas” Martin Luther College, December 2023.

Designer, exhibition catalogue. Colleary, Elizabeth Thompson., Josephine Nivison Hopper: Edward’s Muse. Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center, Nyack, NY: exhibition on view October 23, 2021 – March 20, 2022. 1st and 2nd Print editions.

Designer, exhibition catalogue. Smolan, Leslie. Human in Nature: The Art & Wit of Rodney Smith. Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center, Nyack, NY: exhibition on view December 6, 2019 – March 8, 2020. Print.

Author, photographer. “Pigments, Pixels, Process.” Artists on Art. Artists on Art Publications, Streamline Publications, Issue 26: November-December 2017. Web. 8 November 2017. <http://www.artists-on-art.com/magazine/26novdec17/>

Author, photographer. “How To Make the Most Out of an Artist Residency.” LINEA The Artist’s Voice. The Art Students League of New York, 24 November 2015. Web. 27 November 2015. <http://www.asllinea.org/how-to-make-the-most-out-of-an-artist-residency/>

Author, photographer. “Why Should an Artist Seek Out a Residency?.” LINEA The Artist’s Voice. The Art Students League of New York, 11 November 2015. Web. 11 November 2015. <http://www.asllinea.org/why-should-an-artist-seek-out-a-residency/>

Author, photographer. “Ready for Your Artist Residency?” LINEA The Artist’s Voice. The Art Students League of New York, 28 August 2015. Web. 28 August 2015. <http://www.asllinea.org/ready-for-your-artist-residency/> 

Editor, designer. “Marking Time: An Illustrated Guide to Brown County’s Sites of Historic Interest.” New Ulm, MN: Brown County Historical Society, 2006. Print. 

Curator

New England Landscape, Lyme Art Association, Old Lyme, CT, 2023

Summer Exhibition, Elizabeth V. Sullivan Gallery, The League Residency at Vyt, Orangeburg NY, 2016

AANYAA Group Exhibition, Bernardsville Public Library & Studio 7 Fine Art, Bernardsville NJ, 2015, 2013

Spark and Echo Arts: LIVE, Alchemical Theatre Lab, New York, NY (co-curator with Ebitenyefa Baralaye) 2013

The Ones, New York Academy of Art, New York NY, 2012

XXX, New York Academy of Art, New York NY, (co-curated with Debra Goertz, Renee Bovenzi), 2010

“Cherchez la femme!”, New York Academy of Art, New York NY, (co-curated with Catherine Howe) 2008

Selected Exhibitions

Let Nature In, The Painting Center, New York, NY; curated by Kathleen Beausoleil and Shazzi Thomas, 2025

Double Exposure, Memorial Gallery at Farmingdale State College, Farmingdale, NY; curated by Beth Giacummo, 2025

Long Island Biennial: The Body Politic, Heckscher Museum of Art, Huntington, NY; curated by Ian Alteveer, Patricia Cronin, and Grace Hong, 2024

The Lunar Codex, the Moon or thereabouts in Space; curated by Samuel Peralta, 2024
Recumbent: The Art of Lying, Equity Gallery, New York, NY; curated by Sharon Butler, Judy Glantzman, Daniel Maidman, 2021

Contemporary Realism, Mills Pond Gallery, Smithtown NY; juried by Max Ginsburg, 2020
Reformation Reformed, Concordia University, St. Paul MN; curated by Keith J. Williams, 2017
Palette, Abend Gallery Fine Art, Denver, CO, 2017

No Net Ensnares Me, The Rockport Center for the Arts, Rockport, TX; curated by Lauren Amalia Redding, 2017

Reformation 2017, Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato MN; curated by William Bukowski, 2017
The Figure Contemporary, A National Exhibit, Santa Cruz Art League, CA; juried by Noah Buchanan, 2017

Point of Origin, The Lodge Gallery, New York, NY; curated by Dina Brodsky & Trek Lexington, 2016

Earth Impermanence, Union Arts Center, Sparkill, NY, 2016

Christine Carmichael: A Life by Design, The Grand Center for Arts and Culture: 4 Pillars Gallery, New Ulm, MN, 2016

A Conversation with Nature, Sean Scully Studio, Palisades NY, 2016

Representational Art in the 21st Century, Wailoa Center, Hilo HI; curated by James Lancel McElhinney, 2015

Lucid Visions, Panepinto Galleries, Jersey City NJ; curated by Diana Corvelle, Cara DeAngelis, and Tun Myaing, 2014
Human Brevity, The Collective Art Tank, Asbury Park NJ; curated by Andrea Williams, Elena Rodz, and Elizabeth Misitano, 2014

Featured Artist, WELS National Conference on Worship, Music, & the Arts, Carthage College, Kenosha WI, 2014

Remnants, Fuse Gallery, New York NY; curated by Michelle Doll and Lisa Lebofsky, 2010
Single Fare: A Show of Small Works on Used Metrocards, 224 Grand Street, Brooklyn NY, 2010

The Fellowship Mosaic, Sure Foundation Lutheran Church, Woodside, NY, 2010

Solus Christus, Martin Luther College, New Ulm MN, 2010

Draw, Museo de la Cuidad de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico; curated by Erik Foss and Curse Mackey, Miguel Calderon, 2010

Water/Bodies, Eden Rock Gallery, St. Barthelémy, French West Indies; curated by David Kratz, 2009

Biography

Charis J Carmichael Braun grew up in New Ulm, MN, in an environment that cultivated reverence for history, discovery and exploration, ministry and music, purposeful interiors and craft, allegiance and drama, and care-taking and pop culture. After a year as an exchange student in Switzerland, she earned her BA from Bethany Lutheran College, then moved to New York City and earned her MFA from the New York Academy of Art. Charis currently lives on Long Island, New York.

Charis considers herself “49% left-brained, 51%  right-brained.” In addition to her studio work, she specializes in arts admin, history, and volunteerism. As an arts administrator Charis has managed two galleries in New York City; worked for the New York Academy of Art (New York, NY), the international artist-in-residence program (“The League Residency at Vyt”) of The Art Students League of New York (Sparkill, NY), and as Visual Communications Manager at the Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center (Nyack, NY). Having served on many arts committees and boards, she was a founding member of Spark and Echo Arts, and was President of the Alumni Association of the New York Academy of Art. She has taught Art History at Farmingdale State College SUNY and Bethany Lutheran College. 

Her artwork has been shown mainly in the United States. Her work has received awards and honorable mentions, most notably in 2020 she received a NYSCA grant from the Huntington Arts Council to paint portraits of beekeepers on Long Island, and in 2025 was an artist in residence at Weir Farm National Historical Park in Wilton, CT. 

Additional Life Things

Charis enjoys German and Scottish languages and cultures, Saturday Night Live, analyzing accuracy and artistic integrity of period dramas on film, attempting cottage-style gardening, camping, and indulging her cats Boufie, Subi, and Pickle.