Join us on Thursday, September 8, 2022, 5:30 to 7:30 PM for the opening of Jen Matthews solo exhibition at Charlotte Russell Contemporary.
Charlotte Russell Contemporary is pleased to present Room to Grow, a solo exhibition of paintings by Raleigh-based artist Jen Matthews. Room to Grow honors Matthews' journey of personal growth, while deconstructing the pressure for perfectionism that often stands in the way of self-love and discovery. With a maximalism approach reconfigured into minimalism technique, this work abstracts common objects you might find in a cozy living room, peeling back layers to reveal an electric, offbeat, and bountiful inner world that lies just beneath, waiting to be set free. Not unlike what the artist discovered within herself as her artistic vision was given space to flourish. The exhibition will be on view at Charlotte Russell Contemporary September 8 through October 22, 2022 with an opening reception on Thursday, September 8, 2022, 5:30 to 7:30 PM.
About this exhibition, Matthews remarks:
“Room to Grow is, in so many ways, the culmination of a series of difficult, stagnant years that I spent trying to figure myself out — an exercise as futile as trying to pin down a kangaroo on a trampoline. This work represents the personal growth I experienced when I let go of the perfectionism that led me to doubt my talents early in my career. And it brings to life the rich inner world I discovered in myself when I embraced my own unique voice, gave myself a little grace, and followed where my creativity led (which basically meant letting my inner floral-loving-color-clashing-nostalgic-self have at it on a canvas) (in a semi-controlled way of course). This shift in perception and growth continues to add literal and metaphorical layers into each one of my pieces; each piece is an evolution of the last.”
Jen Matthews is a brand designer and artist living in Raleigh, North Carolina. Her work is an effortless blend of abstract shapes, graphic elements, and vibrant colors — resulting in textured layers that suggest energy, movement, and aliveness just beneath the surface. Her unique point of view — reimagining everyday life through an electric, dynamic lens — has led to features on HGTV, in galleries across the southeast and in private collections around the world.
