About two years ago, Heather Rene Dunaway unpacked some of her generational trauma through an exhibit at 4P Studios. Now, she’s revisiting aspects of that journey in a new exhibition at the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art’s Creel-Harison Gallery.
Her grandmother was a packrat, she said, and some of the things Dunaway found cleaning out her grandmother’s home after her grandmother’s death were detailed journals obsessing over her weight loss efforts. Like her grandmother, Dunaway faced her share of body dysmorphia.
“There were a lot of diet journals. She wrote down everything she would eat in a day. She was overly critical of her own body. No matter what she did, she became what she was going to be anyway,” Dunaway said.
“Fix Yourself a Plate” includes works of art incorporating lots of things belonging to her grandmother including pieces of fabric, patterns and some of the notes her grandmother wrote.
A reception will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 16 with an artist talk at 6 p.m. and the works will be on display through Oct. 21.
At CANDL Fine Art Gallery, Andrew Swift’s debut exhibition will be Aug. 9 with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m.
“Celebrating over three decades of daily sketching, Swift’s extraordinary collection is a testament to his dedication and artistry. This highly anticipated showcase features over 150 artworks and various ephemera, offering a remarkable journey through Swift’s creative evolution,” according to a news release.
“Reflecting on the ancient Greek aphorism meaning ‘skillfulness takes time and life is short,’ Swift’s artist statement encapsulates his devotion to the daily practice of sketching. This exhibition showcases Swift’s interest in various themes, including, calligraphy, map-making, illustration, fossils, anatomy, zoology, engraving, and manmade artifacts, with a particular fascination for the natural world. Essentially, each work is a live recording, created directly from observation or memory without preliminary sketches or erasers, completed in a single sitting and rarely reworked later.”
Titled “Ars longa, vita brevis,” the exhibition will be on display through Sept. 13. An artist’s talk is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., Aug. 17.
And there’s still time to check out The Voices of Augusta II group exhibition at Augusta & Co., 1010 Broad St.
Francie Klopotic curated the exhibition with pieces related to famous Augustans by artists such as Haleigh Key, Christina Rice, Mallory Coffey, Stoney, Rhian Swain, Adeana Berry, Cameron Young and Theron Cartwright.
The exhibition opened June 27 and works will be on display through Sept. 26.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years and is a Georgia Press Association award winner. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
