As the nation pauses amidst the bloom of another spring to celebrate, honor and recognize the contributions of women throughout our collective history, March is Women's History Month, Gallery CA presents the work of artist, Espi Frazier. On view from March 17th through April 21, 2017, the exhibition is aptly titled Married to Art. M2A features a herstory of one woman's journey as presented through her art, while creatively commenting on our society, culture and history.
In the 1980s the artist collective, Guerrilla Girls, asked, "Do women have to be naked to get into the Metropolitan Museum of Art?" Married to Art answers this question through Frazier's artistry and body of work, rather her anatomy. Creating in a range of materials including graphite on paper, acrylic, yarn and wood, Frazier's work has been displayed at galleries and museums throughout the nation, including the Smithsonian Anacostia Museum, Reginald Lewis Museum, Artscape, Howard University, and Maryland Art Place. Featured artwork in M2A includes the stylish and majestic, Church Lady Hats; the iconic and groundbreaking, Josephine Baker; and, the reflective and personal, Self Portrait.
Originally from Chicago and currently residing in Baltimore, Maryland, Frazier holds an MFA from Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and a BFA from the renown Art Institute of Chicago. An artist and educator, Frazier is an Art Instructor at Friends School of Baltimore. Frazier represents the best of whom America is capable of producing. She is humble, conscious, courageous, creative and dedicated to art. "The show Married to Art is a fact of my life. I have been making art since age five. It has been a steady and dependable ground to stand on. Art has helped me through life's unpredictable journey. Today, I am happy to say, I have not sought a divorce in 60 plus years. Art has been a lifelong wonderful marriage."
Married to Art is curated by Kirk Shannon-Butts of Flickeria. Flickeria is a boutique production company and artist management agency. Shannon-Butts works directly with emerging artists to showcase their art, vision and voice on the local, national and international art scene.
Founded in 2012, Gallery CA is a contemporary arts space showcasing local, regional, national and international artists. Gallery CA also serves as an agent for community engagement by offering regular programming and creating sustainable partnerships with local art institutions and community organizations.
