Curatorial Fellowship 2024/2025

Sholo Beverly

Women in Nature: Taking up Space | Sholo Beverly

2024/2025 Curatorial Fellowship

Women in Nature: Taking up Space will be showcased in a mural style exhibit, challenging artists of different ages and cultures to create their own personal environments, in reference to nature. 

Viewers  will be invited to interact with the exhibit and are encouraged to immerse themselves in all the elements of the experience, as gifted by the artists. Perspective will be a huge part of the artists’ and viewers’ journey, especially in relation  to the natural world. My goal is for this collection of pieces to explore the multitudes that women contain; to tell the story of women’s strengths, weaknesses, and the utmost resilience and perseverance in a system that has, for centuries, suppressed the voices of marginalized genders. By intrinsically tying femininity to the natural world, this mural exhibition will highlight the mysteries and magic that both womankind and nature give upon this world. 

 

Exhibition Statement:

Peonies, hollyhocks, sunflowers, just to name a few, made for a great garden hideout in my youth. When I was a child, I believed garden fairies would secretly visit my garden to take care of the flowers, and to leave me seeds to discover. I created the perfect little hide away world that only I knew about. It was a safe space to create and make discoveries. The shed is where I set up my seeds in little plastic containers.  Nothing set my heart on fire more than  watching the seeds explode into life. 

This little girl, full of wonder and curiosity, is who I try to channel through my art to this very day. All of my artistic inspiration emerges from the  natural world. Organic shapes can be seen everywhere, and they serve as a symbol for the cycles of life in nature. At some point during my adult life , I started  seeing female figures in nature. Their bodies would follow the curves and bends of trees. . It was only when I looked up and witnessed nature that I discovered this power. 

I began wishing I could be a tree. The unpredictability and complexity  of tree trunks and branches were like magic. On quiet walks in the woods, I could finally  listen and hear what the trees had to say. I knew from this point on that I was to be an artist, so that I could breathe this aura into my own life. My art has never been about creating for others, I am purely documenting experiences that bring me hope and solace. My work revolves around the female figure and energy within nature, and it always will. I define my art as multi-layered, there are many facets to discover within one piece, like  that of the layers of nature's floor. Nature never stops evolving. Its abundance and influence continues to teach me about my path as an artist. All I needed to do was listen.

 

Public Programming

Meet the Artist-

February 7, 2025, 6-9 pm RSVP

Please join us for an evening of music, dance, and an artist talk with the talented Chicago muralist Dorian Sylvain, and a dance performance by Chicago performer Charmayne Beverly.

Dorian Sylvain is a painter whose color and texture explore ornamentation, pattern, and design as identifiers of cultural and historical foundations. She is a studio painter and muralist, as well as an art educator, curator, and community planner.

We are also delighted to have a dance performance from Chicago dancer Charmayne Beverly.

Charmayne’s favorite pastime and dedication focused on the love of dance. From High School dance troupes to Alvin Allie dance group in her late teens, Charmayne has remained dedicated to the love of dance. As prominent career advancement became her world,  dancing became private performances in Charmayne’s church and the occasional women’s circle.

To add to the charm of the evening, we will be providing a hot chocolate bar and pizza for all to enjoy.

This will be the first community event for Fellow Sholo Beverly. With the theme of the show relating to murals, women, and nature, we will get our first taste of what’s to come for the final show.

 

Learn more about past Curatorial Fellowships

Learn more about our past 2023/2024 Curatorial Fellow: Gustavo Herrera Yepez

Learn more about our past 2022/2023 Curatorial Fellow: Pritika Chowrdhy

Learn more about our past 2021 / 2022 Curatorial Fellow: Melissa Raman Molitor.

Learn more about our past 2020 / 2021 Curatorial Fellows: Alpha M. Bruton & Adero Knott.

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This project is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, and a grant from the Evanston Arts Council an agency supported by the City of Evanston, IACA, and the NEA.