Title

Behave Like a Lady

Creator

Sharon Gearhart, Ursinus College

Preview

Student Exhibition Year

2023

Description

Series of six acrylic paintings on stretched canvas, covered by a fabric veil. Presented as part of the 2023 Annual Student Exhibit in the Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College.

Artist Statement

Welcome to my mind capsule where vulnerability and introspection are shielded by nothing but a thin veil. Being out on my own, I’ve come to realize that behind closed doors, underneath the skull, we each hide away our own weaknesses. Why? They are hideous, mortifying, simply undesirable to view. This has inspired my personal creative exploration; these “burdens” I carry have turned out to be just as, if not more, beautiful than the smile I put on for the “audience” I engage with every day.

In creating the work for this exhibit, I have incorporated the usage of blending and layering oil paint on stretched canvas, as well as the incorporation of acrylic paint, graphite, ink wash, and the usage of mixed media. Covering each painting, obscuring it, is a fabric veil I have hand-stitched; by lifting it, I welcome you into my hidden world.

This work had not been created specifically for just my loved ones, but for any curious human being. Lift away my shield and immerse yourself. If you feel sympathy and sorrow, I kindly ask you to try and look again. Feel the humanity, the connection–it’s there.

Rights Statement

Copyright of the underlying work is held by the artist. The digital image presented here is for educational purposes only and is not for commercial use.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.