Wichita artist invites visitors to ‘leave what’s heavy’ in exchange for a piece of art
At the end of Brittany Schaar’s CityArts exhibition is “Leave What’s Heavy,” an installation that looks a little different every day.
Dozens of square envelopes and colorful handwritten notes dominate one wall of the art center’s Boardroom Gallery. They represent a conversation between the artist and gallery visitors: Leave a note about something that “weighs on you” and take an envelope in exchange.
Inside each of the 200 envelopes is a piece of original artwork, four inches square.
“Some of them have fun sayings or things meant to be uplifting, because I think the world needs a lot more of that right now,” Schaar said.
Many of the notes are heartbreaking. One written in a child’s hand reads, “I wish we had a home and a bed.” Others reference grief, illness and other struggles.
“Some of these letters have really touched me,” Schaar said. “I was talking with some of the staff here, and they made the observation that some of the people that have been sharing on this wall maybe never have said these things out loud before. I wasn’t expecting that, and I hope it’s healing.”
The artist can relate to some of the heaviness visitors have shared. “Conversations with You Look Like,” represents her journey from anxiety and isolation to joy and acceptance.
She wants the exhibition to feel both like a two-way exchange and “a big hug.”
Two years in the making, “Conversations” also reflects Schaar’s developing artistic voice. It includes drawings, paintings and three-dimensional pieces with interactive elements. Some function almost as notes toward larger-scale public-art projects she hopes to explore in future work.
One large painting of hands with their cuticles chewed off is a visceral representation of anxiety. Another smaller work, “Pieces of Friendship/Wichita,” includes representations of moments with friends that come together, collage-like, to form a heart.
“I used to feel pretty lost in Wichita and didn’t really feel like I belonged, I guess,” Schaar said. “That’s kind of a literal metaphor — all these pieces came together. I wanted people to feel like they’re not alone.
“Even if you feel isolated, you’re really not.”
Schaar says she felt intimidated by the task of creating her first solo show since 2016. It was a “process of rediscovery,” and although she thinks some of the works in the show are more successful than others, she’s OK with that.
“This whole (show) is about overcoming that fear of, like, I’m pretty terrified to make art and express myself,” she said. “But even though I’m scared, I do it anyway.
“That’s kind of my motto for this year, and what I want this work to represent.”
You can view some of the works from “Conversations with You Look Like” on the CityArts website: https://www.wichita.gov/CityArts/Pages/SchaarBrittany.aspx
First Friday gallery events:
October First Friday Opening Reception at CityArts: In addition to Brittany Schaar’s show in the Boardroom Gallery, the Main Gallery features an exhibition of Aida Bell’s colorful paintings, and Steve Fairchild has two bodies of work in the Main Hall Gallery and Balcony Gallery.
First Friday reception: 5-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7 at CityArts, 334 N. Mead. All work is on view during CityArts’ regular hours through Oct. 28.
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“Mother:” First Friday with Jill Luton: Luton’s dreamy double-exposure photographs, colorful paintings and textile works explore the concept of motherhood in all its forms.
First Friday reception: 5-8 p.m. at Newman University’s Steckline Gallery, located in the DeMattias Fine Arts Center, 3100 McCormick St. The exhibition will be on view 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday through Oct. 27.
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“BE:” Pop-Up Gallery Opening Night : Artist Kirsten Shannon and “a whole village” of artist friends transformed an industrial warehouse into a temporary exhibition space to showcase her large-scale, energetic abstract paintings.
First Friday reception: 6-10 p.m. at 165 S. Rock Island (entrance is on Mead across from Union Station). The pop-up gallery will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays during October with a closing reception 6-10 p.m. on Oct. 28.
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“10 High Schools/100 Bowls/10,000 Meals”: Wichita State’s off-campus gallery hosts an exhibition of 100 ceramic bowls created by Wichita high school students as part of Empty Bowls Wichita, a fundraising effort benefiting the Kansas Food Bank. The 100 featured bowls will be available for purchase at the Empty Bowls Chili Cook-Off on Oct. 22.
First Friday reception: 6-9 p.m. at ShiftSpace, located inside Groover Labs, 334 St. Francis. The exhibition will be on view during Groover Labs’ regular hours through Oct. 19.
Marko Fields & Kathleen Shanahan, Wichita National Ceramic Invitational: Reuben Saunders gallery has three exhibitions running simultaneously through Oct. 29: figural ceramic works by Marko Fields, mixed media works by Kathleen Shanahan, and the annual Wichita National Ceramic Invitational. Some of the proceeds from the latter also benefit Empty Bowls Wichita.
First Friday reception: 5-9 p.m. at Reuben Saunders Gallery, 3215 E. Douglas Ave.
