Contemporary conceptual painter exploring allegory and ecology, both social and environmental. Queer Appalachian artist, gardener, mutualist.

Annie Kyla Bennett is a painter and mixed media artist whose work is influenced by botany and restorative justice as well as visionary and fantastic realism. Their current focus in the studio is on the concept of remediation, developing a body of artwork exploring methods that can help rebalance humanity’s relationship with the Earth.

A resident of Asheville, NC, Annie is a co-founder of Art Garden AVL, a queer-owned, mutualist arts collaborative, housing maker space and multiple galleries, dedicated to inclusive representation and artist support in the River Arts District. Their studio is in the Canopy Gallery at Art Garden along with Medicine Heart Murals, an art collective working to highlight environmental urgency through large-scale public art, of which they are an original member. Annie also founded Spectrum Geometry, an ethically and environmentally sustainable art apparel company, in Asheville in 2007. They are a contributing artist for multiple community-action organizations, and a resident muralist and live artist at several national art and music festivals.

Annie grew up in rural Alaska, loves pollinators, and collects tools and seeds. Their favorite authors include: Robin Wall Kimmerer, Octavia Butler, Daniel Quinn, Naomi Klein, and Michael Pollan.