One Love

Spectrum ArtWorks Artist Audrey Bernard is having a fantastic month. Her work is featured in the current show Today's Love Stories at Outsiders and Others Gallery and The Downtown Journal did an article on love that came out today, Valentines Day, and featured Audrey's work from that show. Here's the best part:

Art of love

Audrey Bernard’s artwork is on display at the Outsiders and Others Gallery in Elliot Park, in an exhibit called “Today’s Love Stories.”
The love story behind her artwork began in July 1989, when she left her children behind in Jamaica and moved to the United States. Since that time, she has returned home just twice, and her health has prevented her from seeing her five children and eight grandchildren for the past nine years.
In the midst of deep sadness, Bernard started spending time in an art studio run by Spectrum Community Mental Health. She learned printmaking techniques and started reconstructing photographs of her family into paintings.
“I wasn’t interested in painting, but I would keep coming every day because I was depressed,” Bernard said. Eventually, she said, the work gave her a sense of peace.
“This keeps me a little more in touch,” she said.
In addition to the show at Outsiders and Others, her paintings such as the brightly colored “Grandkids with Attitude” are also on display this week on the 8th floor of the IDS Center.
“Painting is something I didn’t know I had in me,” Bernard said. “To see where I came from, thinking about the depression to where I am today, it makes me very happy. I am very proud of my kids.”

And as if that weren’t enough excitement Audrey also has work featured in Layers: an exploration of race and identity
at The Minneapolis Foundation.