In 2017, Political Science and African American Studies major Daisha Board took a leap to create Black Sheep Art Culture. The organization is aimed at fostering equal representation in the art market by supporting historically underrepresented artists — like artists of color and LGBTQIA+ artists — and cultivating new collectors within Black and Brown communities. Over the years, she has partnered with Dallas/Fort Worth galleries and museums to connect them with more diverse artists and organize events. Because of the success of Black Sheep Art Culture, Board opened Daisha Board Gallery in fall 2021.
Installation image of Sharidyn Barnes “Unseen,” exhibition at Daisha Board Gallery.
Unseen, a solo show by Sharidyn Barnes, marks the second exhibition at the newly opened gallery. Barnes is a Dallas-based artist who graduated with her MFA from Savannah College of Art and Design(SCAD) this past spring. This exhibition is a culmination of her thesis work — a series of paintings and drawings depicting herself and her SCAD peers.
Installation image of c at Daisha Board Gallery.
Barnes presents small-scale, intimate pencil and copic marker drawings as well as large-scale paintings and ink drawings. In a handful of the works on view, the artist uses a realistic, traditional oil painting style that gives a vibrancy and depth to the melanated skin tone of her subjects. But she also has more expressive pieces that use unexpected colors and energetic brush strokes to create a sense of tension brimming behind her subjects’ relaxed poses and serene gazes.
Sharidyn Barnes, screenshot of “Shiloh I,” “Shiloh II,” and “Shiloh III,” from Daisha Board Gallery website. Artworks are not to scale.
The exhibition includes fifteen works of art, depicting seven different people. Barnes not only places her friends and herself in front of viewers to be seen, but by working with the same subjects across different media and scales, she also provides an opportunity for us to see them in varied ways. In doing so, she emphasizes their complexity and humanity.
Unseen is on view at Daisha Board Gallery from January 5 – February 5, 2022.
2 comments
My name is Jasmine Francis , CEO / Owner of ARIEMASUCCESS, LLC. I flew in from New York to attend Daisha Board Gallery.
I must say, “Sharidyn Barnes body of work is realistically refreshing.”
I love every piece that I have seen! The girl is BAD! Every piece of her art has attitude that one can only interpret the mood of each piece. I definitely will be checking out the gallery this week!