December 7, 2019 through December 28, 2019
Opening Reception: December 7, 12-3 pm
Third Thursday Reception: December 19, 6-9 pm
Gallery Hours: Fridays and Saturdays, 2-6 pm
or by appointment.

Atlantic Works Gallery is proud to present its upcoming exhibition, “Get Well Soon,” opening on Saturday, December 7 from 12 to 3 p.m. ET. Please join the artists, Krystle Vermes and Kristen Freitas, for light refreshments and artist talks.

The monthly “Third Thursday” celebration will be held on Thursday, December 19, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET. Join the artists and the Atlantic Works Gallery community to mingle and discuss the art.

“Get Well Soon” is an exploration into the state of mental health as it stands today, as well as what it’s like to live with mental illness, from the point of view of those who have experienced it first-hand. This exhibition takes a deep dive into how mental health is reflected in our culture and how it impacts our daily lives.

“My work is intentionally direct, intimate and sometimes uncomfortable,” says artist Kristen Freitas. “I tend to push boundaries and play with unconventional ideas and social norms; recently focusing on topics such as self-harm, suicide and body image and positivity. I want people to look at my work and open their minds to a new perspective and start a dialogue, with themselves and with the people around them.”

“As a C-PTSD survivor living with Dissociative Identity Disorder, it is a goal of mine to raise awareness of the prevalence of mental illness in our society today,” says artist Krystle Vermes. “I hope that through my work, I can shed light on what it means to live with a chronic illness and thrive in a world that is still full of stigma.”

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Krystle Vermes has been painting and drawing for more than 20 years. She enjoys working with acrylic and multimedia materials. Her work has been featured in publications including ArtAscent magazine, where she received the Distinguished Artist title. Explore her work at krystlevermes.com.

Printmaking, abstract painting and video are the vehicles in which Kristen Freitas shares her thoughts and ideas with her audience. In this show in particular, she is also revisiting her love of installation. Freitas believes that immersing and surrounding yourself in a body of work containing ideas and concepts that trigger your mind is an amazing feeling.