This is America
Approached through the lens of the individual, This is America provides perspective on a myriad of social and political matters that are currently dividing the collective consciousness of Americans. As we navigate this complex and polarized landscape, it is important to realize what can be achieved when all voices are considered. Of course, this is an impossible feat for a single exhibition, but it can be a catalyst for conversation. Each piece in this exhibition encapsulates the artist’s perspective on certain socio-political truths and inequities that have undeniable effects on the identity and autonomy of some individuals and communities.
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Every conversation generated by this exhibition is an extension of the artwork you see on the walls of the gallery. As we confront difficult subjects such as white supremacy, racism, antisemitism, gender equality, reproductive rights, police brutality and other forms of social and political violence, remember that this is a safe space for discussion and cultural exchange. Challenge yourself to look beyond our own perspective and together we can work towards a future of America that supports all citizens unequivocally.
Bold & Beautiful
The Bold & Beautiful Artist Exhibition is about addressing who we are, what we stand for and how we allow other people's perception of us to affect how we see ourselves. “The things that make me boldly different, make me beautiful!”
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Eversley was teased and called a nerd when he was younger and was compared to Urkel (a nerdy fictional TV character). He now embraces his nerd persona and created abstract art about a character he calls “the nerd." He took a negative situation and turned it into a positive one and now shares that story with teens and adults through his The Bold & Beautiful art and writing workshops. It is about self-love, anti-bullying, and perception.
Real F.R.I.E.N.D.S
Jamaal Eversley, a painter and multi-media artist, called on a dozen friends to put together an exhibition about collaboration. The show, which features pieces by individual artists and collaborative works made with Eversley, is a tribute to community as a source of succor, joy, and generation. To that end, there are live painting demonstrations each week.
Eversley structures the show around his artistic avatar, called Spencer Ward, whom he refers to as “a bold nerd.” In the artist’s own works, Spencer is rendered simply, as an orange rectangle with glasses. High-keyed and graphic, Spencer always tilts, mouth agape — like the rest of us, set off kilter by the winds of change and whimsies of the heart.