Clarissa Knighten is a jewelry artist, CEO of Rissa's Artistic Design and commercial model.  She founded Rissa’s Artistic Design in 2007 as a way to navigate clinical depression. Her inspiration comes from nature based sculptural art. Knighten finds that the directional curves of tree branches and the entangled strength of their roots speak to her artist side. Repurposing of objects has become a new interest, such as jewelry and art created from bicycle chains, antique buttons, sea shells and of course wood.

In September of 2018, Knighten debuted her fall collection in Kansas City Fashion Week and was featured again on the runway in 2019 - 2020.  

2019 Knighten was the closing collection in West 18th Street Fashion Show.  She was 1 of 4 designers invited to return by invitation to the 20th Anniversary Show. 

Omaha Fashion Week featured Knighten’s repurposed works of art February 2020 on finale night.

Knighten’s work was featured on the cover of IN Kansas City Magazine, September 2019; in KC Studio Magazine Sept /Oct 2018; and, American Art Collector Magazine June 2020.

She has taught senior adults with Arts and Aging and in Title 1 Public Schools through the ARTsmart program.  Knighten is a member of the African American Arts Collective and has served on the committee for Friends of the Arts with the Nelson Atkins Museum in Kansas City from 2018 – 2020.

You might recognize Knighten from commercials and print ads: MU Academic Medicines, MU Health billboards in Columbia, MO, The New Midwest: Forward Momentum commercial in Kansas City, MO, Hallmarks Valentines 2020 advertisements, Black & Veatch Career path video and Columbia College brochures. Knighten is a proud, beautiful, recognizable face in KC fashion, jewelry arts, mental health advocacy and teaching life-long artistic expression.