Elise Okrend, artist
Aurora Studio & Gallery presents Postcards to Zelda, an exhibit of small works created as postcard responses to the life and times of Zelda Fitzgerald, opening Friday, March 4, at 5 p.m. and running through March 31. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
“The idea is borrowed, as many years ago, I attended a postcard exhibit hosted by the Asheville Area Arts Council,” says Aurora Studio & Gallery founder Lori Greenberg. “The framed images have always stood out in my memory. I thought about Zelda’s love of writing, her love letters to Scott and her gouache paintings and realized that asking artists to respond to her paintings and quotes with their own art would create a fun show for all.”
During Fitzgerald’s lifetime, letters and postcards were the primary means of correspondence with friends, therefore, the show invites local artists to imagine that they received a postcard from Zelda and then present their response. Participating artists include Deanna Chilian, Rhonda Davis, Dawn Eareckson, Cheryl Eugenia Barnes, Annie Gustely, Elise Okrend, Debbie Palminteri, Kyley Shurrona and Joyce Thornburg.
“As an intuitive painter and poet myself, I’ve always felt that Zelda Fitzgerald was a kindred soul,” says Thornburg. “Her zest for life and her determination to defy the odds to express herself through her paintings and her writing resonate with me on a deep level.”
Fitzgerald was a gifted writer, painter and dancer. She was known for her wit, flair for fashion and unbridled desire to live her life on her terms during a time when society preferred women remain in the background. Like many artists who create in Aurora Studio, Fitzgerald was affected by trauma, mental health issues and hospitalizations. She persevered, chronicling her life through her art until her untimely death on March 10, 1948 during the Highland Hospital fire.
For the last five years, Aurora Studio & Gallery has hosted various Zelda Fitzgerald events including exhibits, lectures, readings and recitals. Last year, the program hosted a diverse online series on Zoom, some of which will be re-posted to coincide with this exhibit.
Aurora Studio & Gallery is a supportive space for artists who have been impacted by mental health needs, substance use or lack of housing. It was founded in 2012 by Greenberg, a licensed clinical addiction specialist, who has worked in the field of human services for more than 40 years.
“I love what Lori has brought to our community with Aurora,” says Barnes. “She’s very inspiring. I taught art therapy for her once and realized how much being in the flow of creating helps to keep the worldly demons at bay.”
Aurora Studio & Gallery is located in the Refinery AVL, at 207 Coxe Avenue, Asheville. For more information, visit AuroraStudio-Gallery.com.
