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First and foremost, I’d love to formally invite you to my Charlotte, NC one-night exhibition, The Race To Grow Up, happening the evening of September 20th on Lake Wylie.
I’ve been looking forward to this show since the beginning of the year. Now that I’m just two months away from debut night, I’m realizing how much this all means to me. The work, the concept, the anticipation, the reflection. My heart is fully in this series. Creating and refining this show —especially knowing where it’s taking place, my hometown of Charlottte NC—has been so meaningful.
There will be works on paper, wood panel, canvas, and cloth. Framed and unframed works; big, small, medium sizes; dyptichs and pentaptychs (5 works in one)! Signature craft cocktails, wine, and beer will be served, alongside a wonderful bounty of hors d'oeuvres. It’s an occasion to get dressed up, bring friends, have fun, and enjoy this newest body of work!
An Exhibition of Memory
The Race To Grow Up revisits childhood from the shifting perspective of adulthood. It’s an introspective look at the process of growing up—the emotions, the headspace, the imagination, the act of growing and changing. My work has always explored this duality of shifting from girlhood to womanhood, but this series feels different. It faces inward, spatially, in North Carolina, and compositionally, with specific motifs, feelings, and memories from my youth.
The paintings take place somewhere reminiscent of where I grew up: down on Buckland Road, on Lake Wylie, in my special Terebithia land. There’s fire, trees, moons, bluegrass, stuffed animals, teary eyes, barns, friendship, fear, joy. It’s all captured in a time pocket of summer’s lengthy blue hour, where Southern magical realism can best be found. I can hear the crickets and the cicadas. I can smell the dewy grass and distant bonfire smoke. It feels true.
Before diving into more background, I’d love to share some subscriber-only sneak peeks :)
Having a few visual reference points will hopefully give you a clearer sense of the spirit behind this series.
Well Water, acrylic on canvas
Glimmer, acrylic on canvas
The Race To Grow Up, acrylic on canvas
In Progress...
As I’ve been painting inside this series, I’ve felt pulls in my chest and replayed short video-memories in my head. I’ve realized this body of work gives space to a layer that was present in every moment growing up: sensitivity.
The phrase “you’re so sensitive” came up a lot. I was an emotionally-driven child. I thought that was a bad thing growing up. Ashamed of my inability to stop crying or melting down in the face of fear, I’d hide away and tell myself: next time I won’t cry. I’ll have thick skin.
But that same sensitivity also guided me into special pockets of life where I could feel deeply and colorfully, imagine anything I wanted, and be extra attuned to my surroundings.
This series carries a sensitivity to it. The subjects and their settings feel sensitive and unguarded. I feel sensitive and vulnerable when painting them.
Ever since I was little, I’ve loved reminiscing on the past. I’m lucky to have a bounty of VHS tapes and scrapbooks that document snippets of my childhood. I’ve watched every tape multiple times—they never get old to me. I enjoy seeing life in the early 2000s from a raw perspective. And of course, I like seeing my younger self, whether she was sad, happy, moody, angry, shy. I like seeing her learn and express emotions. I feel like I get to know myself better, or at least make more sense of things by understanding what’s happened.
I picked the title The Race To Grow Up because it just makes sense. (Remember my newsletter about growing up in an ever-efficient house, and now needing anything that slows life down?)
The Race To Grow Up can be the race to build that thick skin, a race to become a teenager, a race to grow a shoe size… the natural speed of life that seems to accelerate with every birthday candle wish. I felt an urgency to grow, grow, grow! I think we all did, somehow—believing that growing up would be exactly what we needed.
Now, from an adult perspective, The Race To Grow Up is something I no longer want to win. It’s a title that holds both the urgency I once felt and the tenderness I’m learning to offer myself now. It’s about questioning the finish line altogether.
Lake Wylie
This series is a documentation of memory and it only makes sense to exhibit the work in a place where I have an abundance of it: Charlotte, but most importantly, my Aunt Tamsen and Uncle Scott’s lovely Lake Wylie home.
Their home was my second home—just a bike ride away or paddle down the lake. Tamsen and Scott have seven kids all around my age, each one a cousin I’ve been close to my entire life.
Scott and Tamsen, with Reagan, Andrew, Madison, Abigail, Seamus, Georgia, and Scotty (in order from oldest to youngest).
I remember the summer they first moved onto the lake, I spent 14 consecutive days at their house, probably grazing on all their snacks and causing a ruckus. Growing up in the same neighborhood as seven of your cousins is heaven. I couldn’t have been luckier.
Aunt Tamsen and Uncle Scott have always supported my art. They’ve commissioned pieces from me, come to my very first exhibition at New Elements, and celebrated every win on this journey. I’m very grateful they have opened up their house, their time and energy, and their walls for me.
An important note: the concept for this show was born from the location itself.
Earlier this year, I called my Aunt Tamsen to ask if hosting the exhibition at her home was a confirmed “yes.” At that point, I had no idea what the body of work would become—but knowing it would be shown in this house shaped everything. The setting led the concept, and the concept led the paintings straight down memory lane.
Andrew, Desi, Me, Madison, and Savannah out on our favorite tree in our pasture. Perfect for climbing!
Words can't describe how excited I am for September 20th. I can't wait to see all the paintings in one home, all hung up, all tied to each other. While I am far in on this series, I know there are several more paintings to be created.
From now until then, I'll be very busy painting, framing, building canvases, and getting all the little details ready. I also just got handed another huge 10-painting project last week with a deadline of August 23rd. So, my time and energy are primarily for painting! The studio is going to look like a tornado flew through it. That always means there is a productive elf working away, so we like it!
If you would like to RSVP to the September show, please follow this link. I can't wait to see you there!
Some Updates and Announcements!
Sold Paintings
Sales have been better than ever lately! I’m currently selling at the most consistent rate I’ve ever experienced. I’ve had many new collectors join the journey—as well as longtime collectors continuing to show up for me.
recently collected works, Pt. I
Recently collected works, pt. II
As an independent working artist, I can’t overstate how grateful I am to have such steadfast buyers keeping me going and going!
At my last fair in Blowing Rock, I sold three paintings! Two of my “Candy Girls”—Sour Skittle, 2024 and Peach Ring, 2024 to a lovely couple from Raleigh.
And Inner Child, 2024, sold to another amazing couple from Charlotte, NC.
I was surprised that all three paintings that sold that day had one major thing in common: they are made of wood and resin. At fairs, people are constantly drawn towards the shiny coat that resin leaves. I almost didn’t bring those three paintings up there, but at the last second, I decided I would take them. And both sales happened in the last 40 min of the fair! Which goes to show: don't lose hope :)
If you would like to receive an email with all my currently available paintings, please see this landing page on my website for more details!
Loading up "Leapfrog" to take to her new home. Plus, my minivan :)
True Blue Bar Takeover
If you didn't know, I’m the in-house artist at True Blue Butcher & Barrel, a restaurant here in downtown Wilmington. They give me all their walls to adorn with art—with no commission when they sell.
Install day at True Blue Butcher & Barrel, May 2024, 10 paintings!
Recently, Chef Bobby Zimmerman (the owner) offered me another opportunity within his brand. He asked me to take over the bar area at True Blue Butcher & Table, a more upscale fine-dining location near Wrightsville Beach.
Of course, I said YES. He and his team saw my Campari commission and loved it. In our meeting, I mentioned that I’d love to create complementary work for the space, while still working within my Race To Grow Up collection.
I have until August 23rd to complete around 10 paintings. So, studio time is vital right now. That is a very quick turn around for me!
August 23rd is the debut night. They are planning a fun, eventful, social night to welcome the new work and have fun :) If you’re in the Wilmington area, come on out!
The Campari Girl
The Campari girl has been dropped off at her forever home, Spaghett, in Charlotte, NC! Right when you walk into this historic home turned resturant, she will be there to greet you, negroni raised in cheers!
Picture of it in the bar.
I got the "O-Kay" from Campari to produce limited edition prints. So, if you are interested, she's available on my website!
EOD Showcase
July 26th — come on down to End of Days Distillery for my artist showcase! P.S. Jack will be there slinging oysters!
The current installation at EOD
Thank you for tuning into another letter. If you have any questions about the show, about work, or anything, please shoot me a message! gerb@gerbart.com
To RSVP and see all the show details, please see this exhibition portal!
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Thank you for being here and reading what I have to say. It means a lot.
Some of my thoughts and newsletters are shared only with subscribers, making them extra special and exclusive. So be sure to subscribe so you can read all the letters :)
