“Embracing Imperfection” exhibit on mental health stigma opens Aug. 15

2-D fiber artwork of vertical stripes, darker on the edges transitioning to blues and pale yellows in the middle“Embracing Imperfection,” an exhibition by Christine Hager-Braun, seeks to obliterate the stigma long associated with mental health. Hager-Braun’s work reflects her own struggle with depression. The colors and composition in her work, while abstract, foster an emotional connection revolving around personal growth, resilience, and acceptance.

Originally from Germany, Hager-Braun’s gained an interest in quilting after her move to the United States, learning, as she says, to paint with needle and thread. As a fiber artist, Hager Braun creates colorful, quilted compositions in order to express emotions without the use of words. This approach parallels to the indescribable feelings and emotions surrounding mental health.

The topic of mental health is especially relevant for students as the daily struggles with peer pressure and balancing an often demanding class schedule with their personal  lives. “Every new art quilt I create is influenced by my belief in the power of a positive mindset. Each piece reflects a triumph over our trials, a reminder of our daily successes, and the promise to ourselves that we will never give up,” says Hager-Braun. Through the medium of fiber artworks and sharing her own story, Hager-Braun hopes to inspire others to, “persevere, heal and thrive.”

WHEN:  August 15 – October 6, Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., or by appointment

WHERE: Central Piedmont Central Campus, Overcash Center first floor, Overcash Art Gallery

ARTIST LECTURE: Artist Lecture and reception is Sept. 14, at noon at Central Campus, North Classroom Building Auditorium, Room 1123

CONTACT: For more information, please contact Amelia Zytka at amelia.zytka@cpcc.edu. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at Central Piedmont Arts and the art gallery blog.

Interactive art exhibit “Reclaimed Memories” invites you to create stories, art

Black and white hand drawn artwork of a woman in an old fashioned carA new interactive exhibit will open in the Ross Gallery at Central Campus on Aug. 15.

A stray photograph in a thrift store or flea market depicts an unknown person from the past. Their dress, their hair, and the discoloration of the photograph indicates a person from the past. Questions such as, “Who were they?,” and “What is their story?,” come to mind the longer we take in the image. While for many of us it may be easy to set the photograph down and continue on with our own lives, artist Eva Crawford reclaims these images from the 1940s and 1950s, giving them new life by recreating them as life-size drawings.

Following the passing of her father in January of 2021, Crawford sought to create a body of work focused on the preservation of memory. Crawford reclaims lost memories through the use of portraiture, transforming antique film photographs into large-scale drawings and paintings that invite the viewer to create their own stories and memories about the individuals in the artwork.

“Reclaimed Memories” also includes an interactive station with antique photographs. This station encourages gallery visitors to create their own memories, stories, and artwork about the people in the photographs. The stories will be collected and displayed as part of the exhibition.

WHEN: August 15 – October 6, Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. or by appointment

WHERE: Central Piedmont Central Campus, Overcash Center first floor, Ross Art Gallery

ARTIST LECTURE: Artist Lecture and reception is September 29, at noon,  at Central Campus in the North Classroom Building Auditorium, Room 1123.

CONTACT: For more information, please contact Amelia Zytka at amelia.zytka@cpcc.edu. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at Central Piedmont Arts and our Art Gallery blog.

 

Central Piedmont Overcash Art Gallery presents ‘A Fall From Grace,’ an exhibition beginning Jan. 11

Zaire McPhearson brings “A Fall From GraceNorth Carolina artist Zaire McPhearson brings “A Fall From Grace,’” to Central Piedmont Community College’s Overcash Art Gallery, located on the college’s Central Campus. The  exhibition tells the story of a charismatic movement known as the “Prayer Band,” through the voices of the African American women who experienced it firsthand. This movement evolved from a traditional Christian-based organization, The First Church of God in Christ, but soon the woman leading a noonday prayer meeting reshaped the group and formed her own ministry, calling herself the Queen of the South. She considered herself to be the voice of God and a direct intermediary between God and the women in the “Prayer Band.”

McPhearson’s exhibition gives a voice to the women silenced by mental, physical, and emotional abuse and tells of their long recovery back to their faith. McPhearson, who has a personal relationship with these incredible women, expertly portrays their complex stories through her photography, painting, sculptures, and stained glass works.

  • WHEN: Jan. 11 – March 10, 2022; Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., or by appointment
  • Opening Reception: Feb. 23; 5 p.m.
  •  WHERE: Central Piedmont Central Campus, Overcash Center, Overcash Art Gallery, 1206 Elizabeth Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204
  •  Artist Lecture: Feb. 23; 3 p.m. (Virtual and In Person), Central Campus, North Classroom Building, Auditorium 1123, 1320 Sam Ryburn Walk, Charlotte, NC 28204
  • For more information, please contact Amelia Zytka at amelia.zytka@cpcc.edu. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at Central Piedmont Arts and our blog at http://blogs.cpcc.edu/cpccartgalleries/

Central Piedmont’s Overcash Gallery Presents Artists Monique Luck and Renea Gaete

Monique Luck

Mixed media artist, Monique Luck artfully arranges collage pieces in a desired way, all the while contemplating how simple it would be if we could rearrange the pieces of life in a similar fashion. Her muse is the human figure in mixed media. Monique’s work evokes an emotive response speaking to personal loss. While misfortune may be unavoidable, it remains a common thread uniting us all. We live through a time of fear and uncertainty threatening to tear us apart, but by coming together we, like Monique’s artwork, form a cohesive and harmonious picture.

Monique’s goal is to foster a sense of unity capable of transcending cultural differences and social divides. Part of her exhibition will feature an interactive wall. Using magnetic paint and handmade paper, gallery visitors and students will be able to write a memory or thought on the piece of paper and adhere it to the wall. By the end of the exhibit this will become a collage of memories from all of us at Central Piedmont.

WHEN: January 11 – March 11
Artist Lecture: February 10, 1 p.m., on Facebook Live
Reception: March 4, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

WHERE:  Central Piedmont Central Campus, Overcash Center, Ross, Gallery, 1201 Elizabeth Ave., Charlotte, NC 28235

CONTACT: For more information, or to schedule a tour, please contact Art Galleries Coordinator Amelia Zytka at amelia.zytka@cpcc.edu. Follow the Central Piedmont Galleries on Instagram and Facebook at Central Piedmont Arts and the blog at http://blogs.cpcc.edu/cpccartgalleries/.

Rene Gaete

Central Piedmont Community College’s Overcash Gallery is proud to present a solo exhibition, titled “Sill Life,” by René Gaete, Jan. 11 – March 18, on the college’s Central Campus.

Chilean artist René Gaete’s work emits a tone of mystery and longing drawing the viewer into the scene. Sparking discourse, his compositions and techniques echo elements of Impressionism, Expressionism, Baroque and Abstraction. The figures are recognizable as human beings, yet seem to be echoes of the past, like an imprint or a dream.

Straining between a sense of control and spontaneity René combines these two motivations together with an expert hand. Human forms seem to fleet in and out of focus bending the confines of time and space, giving the illusion of active movement in still life forms. “Still Life” is an exhibition that links the past to the present, the old to the new, bonding painting ideals in a novel way.

WHEN: January 11 – March 18, 2021
Reception:
March 20 at 5 p.m.

Artist Lecture: March 20 at 4 p.m.

 WHERE: Central Piedmont Central Campus, Overcash Center, Ross Art Gallery, 1206 Elizabeth Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204

CONTACT: For more information, or to schedule a tour, please contact Art Galleries Coordinator Amelia Zytka at amelia.zytka@cpcc.edu. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook atCentral Piedmont Arts and our blog at http://blogs.cpcc.edu/cpccartgalleries/

 

Central Piedmont’s Overcash Art Gallery to present ‘The Faculty Art Show’ beginning August 10

Central Piedmont’s Overcash Art Gallery is pleased to present “The Faculty Art Show,” August 10 – October 2. This group show features Central Piedmont’s talented art staff and is curated by Amelia Zytka.

“The Faculty Art Show” incorporates artwork from multiple disciplines, including drawing, painting, photography and ceramics. While the college’s art instructors excel at helping students succeed in their budding art careers, many of them are accomplished artists as well.

This exhibition not only gives Central Piedmont’s Overcash Art Gallery an opportunity to display faculty work, but also affords students the chance to see their instructors’ artwork in a gallery setting. This show is a must-see for anyone on campus and provides an enjoyable diversion. Central Piedmont’s Overcash Art Gallery is enthusiastic about the opportunity to kick start the college’s fall semester with this exciting, new exhibition.