Women of the Bible: Portraits of Beauty, Audacity, & Faith by LaShonda Scott Robinson
January 8-29, 2021
Women of the Bible: Portraits of Beauty, Audacity, & Faith by LaShonda Scott Robinson
Opening reception: Friday, January 8, 5:00-8:00 PM
Gallery hours: Monday-Friday 9 AM – 5 PM
Please note, the Emporium will be closed Monday, January 18 for the holiday.
Inspiration for the Exhibit
When I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), my childhood friend gave me a book titled “Prayer Through the Eyes of Women in the Bible.” On the inside cover, she wrote, “Read and be blessed!”
The Me Too Movement and Times Up Movement inspired me to create this exhibit. I have read this book many times. These feminine movements caused me to see my biblical foremothers in a different light. I wanted to pay homage to the women who stood up first.
My mom told me, when you receive a blessing, pass it on to others. Creating and exhibiting this collection, I am passing on the gift given to me. I hope people see this exhibit and be blessed!
About the Exhibit
A woman has been an enigma since her creation. What is her purpose? Is she man’s equal? Is she the weaker sex? Women of the Bible celebrates the ingenuity, audacity, and faith of our biblical fore-mothers. Sometimes the Bible records a single incident. Some names are unknown. Yet, their stories are inspiring. I created this collection to celebrate God’s most beautiful, complex, and resilient creation, WOMAN!
Artist Bio
Based in Alabama, LaShonda Scott Robinson is a watercolor artist. Art expresses her intimate feelings. A woman of color, she was taught to conceal weakness. Through art, she can openly cry without shedding a tear. Self-taught, her watercolor style is sensuous and dark. Body language expresses the truth. Therefore, the faces are blank. LaShonda believes “the face reveals our thoughts whereas the body reveals our hearts.” Her work has exhibited in Alabama, Florida, New York, South Carolina, Monaco, and Switzerland.
Artist Statement
When I was nineteen, my boyfriend gave me a watercolor set for Christmas. That gift would become my saving grace. When we married, our son was seven months old. I was a sophomore in college. Our marriage was turbulent. Balancing work, marriage, motherhood, and college was taking its toll. One night, I was extremely overwhelmed. I wanted to cry. But the tears would not come. I had suppressed my emotions for so long they had forsaken me in my time of need. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I thought, “How can I get this pain out of me?” Then my soul whispered, “Paint it.” So, I took the watercolor set out of the closet and began to paint. For the first time, I painted with my heart and not my eyes. All the emotions I had suppressed came to the surface. The canvas cried the tears my eyes refuse to shed. My tears took the form of a female figure. Faceless yet full of raw emotion. That night, I found my artistic voice. And my soul began to shout! Painting is my saving grace. It is a faithful, non-judgmental confidant. Through art, I can openly cry without shedding a tear. Now, I no longer hide my heart from the world. I paint it boldly on every canvas.
For more information:
www.lashondascottrobinson.com
https://www.facebook.com/lashondascottrobinson3
Instagram @lashondascottrobinson