Carrie Usmar is Rhode Island based visual artist whose practice re-examines the family album. Utilizing a documentary approach, Usmar explores the complexity of womanhood and the tension and ambivalence within domesticity. Usmar received a BFA from University of Rhode Island. She has exhibited at numerous institutions across the U.S., including Rhode Island Center For Photographic Arts, Newport Art Museum, The Griffin Museum, Hera Gallery, and The Curated Fridge. Her work has been published in PVD Monthly, The New Republic and Lenscratch. She was selected for a residency at Garrett On The Green in upstate NY and was invited to attend the Eddie Adams Workshop XXXVI.
Thrives In Wild Environments 2022
Photography 12″ x 20″
Artist Statement
One in five American parents stay home after having children and I am one of the mothers who chose to be the stay-at-home-parent. In 2021 I received a copy of our tax returns in the mail and my occupation was written as “Houseperson”. Angered by that title and the emptiness I felt, I was fueled to create images that highlight the amount of work, skill, and dedication involved in the role of primary caregiver to my four children. Using a tripod and remote, I documented daily interactions with my family and these images became my series “Resume Of A Stay-At-Home Mom”. The images display ordinary moments that capture the solitude and sacrifice stay-at-home mother’s experience and catalogue the myriad of skills used daily forcing people to re-evaluate their assumptions about the role. The process of choosing a title for each image that corresponds to a skill on a resume made me feel seen and valued in an often invisible and thankless role.
Additional Info:
Artist’s Website: Carrie Usmar
Instagram: @carrieusmar
Part of Growing the NetWorks
This artist was selected by a past NetWorks Rhode Island participant as part of Growing the NetWorks — a 2025 exhibition presented by WaterFire Providence, at the WaterFire Arts Center, celebrating peer-nominated artists from across Rhode Island. Learn more at waterfire.org/growingthenetworks
Highlighting the work of selected artists who have played vital roles in shaping the contemporary visual arts community in Rhode Island. This collection of brief video portraits provides a window into the lives, practices, and cultural contributions of professional artists.
