CHARELS CITY, Iowa (May 6-2023) - The glaciers have receded and been replaced by flowers and budding trees. Its an exciting time. And its made better with a great May exhibit.
“Between Lucid Dreams” by artist Alexis Beucler opened last night (Friday, May 5th) to a gallery full of smiling faces.
The exhibit is a collection of works that Alexis describes as “my journey from compulsive heterosexuality to embracing queer love and identity.”
Alexis said she is excited to be a part of an exhibit that makes space for LGBTQ+ visibility.
“I hope viewers will take away how complex and messy a coming out story can be for LGBTQ+ individuals and how powerful radial love and acceptance can be.”
Alexis hopes that the exhibit will “read” somewhat like a book with 3 chapters - with the first chapter being a collection of works she made while in undergrad at Florida State University called “Liquid Landscape”.
“At this time I was discovering and exploring my personal identity— wondering, who am I and who do I want to be as a young adult?”
These questions are explored in the works through what the artist calls a “world building” approach to her art. Creating her own Universes within the paintings.
The second chapter “Fever Dream” are works created while she was at the University of Iowa working towards her MFA in Painting and Drawing and pull more introspection in to the questions posed in the first chapter of her works.
The third chapter is a series of more recent works called “Lovers Orbit” and the paintings seem to express more confidence with who she is and where she is going.
Alexis is currently employed at NIACC where she teaches art full time.
“It’s exciting to teach an expansive curriculum that ranges from drawing and painting, sculpture and ceramics, to art history and the digital arts.
Presently, I am the happiest I’ve ever been, engaged to my wonderful partner, Mandy, and my paintings are filled with a full spectrum of color, love, and queer joy.”
We are honored to show this collection of works. We think it is an important body of work and an important story to tell in 2023. Emily and I are both happy to be seen as a safe space for the lgbtq+ crowd and its something we are committed to keep furthering.
We are thankful for our 2023 reception sponsors Tellurian Brewing. We have great food at these events AND great wine and excellent Tellurian Beer.
Here are a few photos from the exhibit and a few from the reception:
Teacher Meredith Hamm will have your youngins decorating sugar skull cookies, heart notions and painting birdhouses in this months class. It started yesterday with one more class on the 19th.
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Keep your eyes peeled for the June class announcement!
**We announce those on Facebook and usually Instagram as well.
We sent some letters about Town of Colors out recently. We are still short on the finances needed for our 2023 murals. If you can help, super. It is such an important thing for our community.
We should be careful though… we just might end up breaking the mold of sameness for rural communities and stand out too much. Think of how horrible it would be to have people from other places coming to Charles City to see all of our beautiful public art… The HORROR! (I kid)
Exposure to the arts is an important part of each of our educations and essential to ones sense of culture and identity.
Public art breaks the exposure barriers and puts art right out in the open. It is perhaps the coolest thing about our community. In my opinion anyway. My wife and I talk about how lucky we are to have ended up in CC vs other less artsy towns. Very thankful.
Charles City has its own unique identity. We should enhance it and protect it. How lucky are we?
We hope you have a great Spring filled with more BBQs than lawn mowing and more birds singing than bugs bugging.
Be kind and love each other!
Our hours:
W-F 1-5PM
Saturday 10-2
Contact:
641-228-6284
charlescityarts@gmail.com