Sakura Kelley was born in San Diego, California. She received her BA from University of California, Santa Cruz, where she studied Art and Community Studies. After graduating she went on to pursue her work in Japan through a series of residencies, including at BankArt 1929 and Hammerhead Studios. Kelley has exhibited works both domestically and internationally, including galleries in San Francisco (CA), Providence (RI), Quezon City (Philippines), and Yokohama (Japan). Sakura Kelley is currently pursuing an MFA in photography at Rhode Island School of Design where she is continuing her scholarship around queerness, feminism and art.