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    Columbus Makes Art Presents Rebecca Gonzalez-Bartoli and Her Inspirations

    Mixed-media artist Rebecca Gonzalez-Bartoli is featured in a solo exhibition at Fresh A.I.R. Gallery’s SEEN Studios inside Chromedge Studios. Keep the Rage Tender will open on Wednesday, Sept. 22 and run through Nov. 12. We chatted with her about her work.

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    Myken: Where are you from?
    Rebecca: I spent my childhood in Richmond, Virginia and moved to north-eastern Pennsylvania in the fourth grade and lived there until I went to college in Philadelphia. After college, I went back to Scranton, Pennsylvania up until about five year ago. Then I moved here to Columbus, where I currently reside.

    Myken: How long have you been creating?
    Rebecca: My whole life. In fourth grade I had an art teacher who inspired me to take it to the next step and it was that early. Teachers make such a big difference when they take special interest in their students.

    Myken: What kind of artwork do you create?
    Rebecca: My artwork is really expressive of my mental health and is like therapy for me. In the past, my artwork was darker and I struggled a lot, it was more pessimistic. These days my artwork is bright and leaning towards more abstract and intuitive drawing. I feel it’s freeing because sometimes you feel trapped by certain things and when I paint, I feel like it’s the best thing in the world and takes me to a better place.

    Myken: What are you working on now?
    Rebecca: Right now I’m working on expressive portraits for my upcoming show titled Keep the Rage Tender (which is from a line in a poem by Nayyirah Waheed). My solo exhibition with Fresh A.I.R. Gallery is at SEEN Studios in the Franklinton Art District, since the physical gallery space at Fresh A.I.R. is still closed due to the pandemic and the space being used to screen patients who have healthcare appointments. I also make clay jewelry and crafty things, bookmaking, candles, nail art, bookmarks, small paintings in gouache and watercolor, and would be open to small portrait commissions.

    Myken: Who are some of your inspirations?
    Rebecca: My high school art teacher brought me to a Frida Kahlo exhibit in the ninth grade and it was a huge life-changing moment for me. I realized art can be an expression of pain and joy. I saw myself in Frida because she was a Mexican artist and seeing this strong Mexican woman own herself was amazing to me. I also get inspiration from local artists, the murals and artists of Franklinton, and at the studios in Franklinton Square. Columbus’ strong arts community is inspiring and it really creates good energy.

    pieces by Mixed-media artist Rebecca Gonzalez-Bartoli.
    Work by Mixed-media artist Rebecca Gonzalez-Bartoli.

    Myken: What’s on your playlist?
    Rebecca: I enjoy listening to the sounds of rain on Spotify because it calms me down and helps with my anxiety. Other styles of music I like are lo-fi music and slow beat hip hop sounds. Music I can chill to.

    Myken: How do you recharge or relax?
    Rebecca: I like to read and I like to read the same things over and over again. My favorite calming recharge book is the Percy Jackson series because it makes me happy and is a good story with a happy ending. I have it in audio, digital and hard copy. Creating art is very relaxing for me, too.

    Myken: Is there anything else you think readers should know about you?
    Rebecca: I am an artist in recovery and my recovery has been for the past decade. Being in recovery is such a big part of me and my art process and who I am in a person.

    Keep the Rage Tender will open on Wednesday, Sept. 22 at Fresh A.I.R. Gallery’s SEEN Studios, room number 22 inside Chromedge Studios. Learn more about Rebecca through her website here: bgbsoup.wixsite.com/beckigbsoup. And learn more about Fresh A.I.R. Gallery at southeasthc.org/services/freshairgallery/.

    Columbus Makes Art Presents is a bi-weekly column brought to you by the Greater Columbus Arts Council â€“ supporting and advancing the arts and cultural fabric of Columbus. The column is a project of the Art Makes Columbus campaign, telling the inspiring stories of the people and organizations who create Columbus art. Learn more about local artists, organizations, public art and events at ColumbusMakesArt.com.

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    Myken Pullins
    Myken Pullinshttps://southeasthc.org
    Myken Pullins is executive assistant and public affairs director at Southeast Healthcare.
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