Join us as we celebrate the innovative contemporary portraiture of Gowanus-based artists Michael James Freedman, Demarcus McGaughey, and Erica Morales. The vibrant large-scale oil paintings and works on paper in this exhibition are not traditional; they are full-of-life portraits like you haven’t seen before. Bursting with energy, these artworks are expressionist representations of people that matter to the artists — friends, family, chosen family, local and personal heroes. Enter the colorful world where the beautiful people are the people you love and care about most. The exhibit asks the viewer to consider who you might elevate in a portraiture style, and who are your beautiful people.

Our Beautiful People is Why Not Art’s 4th art exhibition at Littlefield and we are grateful for their support. Why Not Art is also a proud supporter of Arts Gowanus and the local Brooklyn arts community.

About the Artists:

Michael James Freedman (IG:@michaeljamesfreedman) is a Gowanus-based artist whose expressive, gestural paintings focus on family, music, politics, and the people of our neighborhood. Recent artistic projects have combined art with philanthropy, with his solo exhibitions “The Faces of CHiPS” to benefit a local soup kitchen and “Dancewave: It Takes a Village” to benefit youth dance scholarships. https://michaeljamesfreedman.com/

Demarcus McGaughey (IG:@demarcusmcg), a Texas native, is a New York-based mixed media artist, who passionately captures the beauty, strength, and vibrancy of people of color. McGaughey specializes in a style that combines painting, photography, mixed media, and graphic design; recently he has begun to weave fabrics from his grandmother’s treasure trove into his work. His recent exhibitions include solo shows KINDRED at the Southampton African American Museum (SAAM) and HUEMAN in Harlem, NYC. McGaughey has recently been signed for representation at Daisha Board Gallery in Dallas, Texas. https://www.saatchiart.com/demarcusmcg

Erica Morales (IG: @522eddie) is a Nuyorican Bronx native who currently lives in Brooklyn and works in watercolor, pencil, and spray paint to create “drawings on paper.” Morales‘ work is autobiographical, centered around family, and inspired by the perseverance of spirit individually shared by Latinx + QTPOC. Inspired by family, culture, and history, Morales’ work addresses moments of strength, love, and courage, seeking truth by highlighting flashes of humanity’s everyday stories. Her work is about composition, color, and the human experience. She has recently been an artist-in-residence at Ma’s House in East Hampton and at ArtCrawl Harlem’s residency on Governors Island. https://www.ericamorales.com/

Why Not Art? (IG:@whynotartnyc) celebrates the vitality of the Brooklyn arts community by presenting interdisciplinary art shows in alternative spaces. Our mission is to support local artists while reaching expanded and diverse audiences with inclusive and inviting visual arts-based programs. Why Not Art has produced 15 community art exhibits in Brooklyn since 2021.

Grace R. Freedman (IG: @5freedmans) is the lead curator. www.whynotart.com

Time: 12:00 pm EDT

Free!

Registration