At just 21, Charity Lundberg of Inwood, West Virginia is already making waves in the local art scene with a painting featured in a local exhibition.
As a junior this past spring semester in ART 475: Interdisciplinary Studio, Lundberg and her fellow students were required to submit their work to an exhibition of their choosing. To her surprise, the Modern Visual Arts (MVA) Gallery, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, chose a piece from her Reclamation series, showcasing how nature over time conquers all.
“I feel like I might be going crazy or something,” says Lundberg. “I sometimes struggle with the idea of being a full-time studio artist but seeing how other people appreciate my work doesn’t seem all that bad.”
Lundberg never planned to major in painting when she began attending Shepherd University. Surprisingly, she had no formal training until her freshman year of college, when she enrolled in a painting class with Professor of Art Sonya Evanisko. Encouraged by Evanisko to pursue her talents further, Lundberg decided to commit as a painting major the second semester of her sophomore year.
“In conjunction with a knowledgeable and inquisitive mind, Charity possesses the focus and sensibilities that are essential to a developing artist,” says Evanisko. “She is not afraid to challenge herself. She understands the importance of creating work on a professional level and making it visible by entering juried exhibitions.”
When asked about the inspiration behind painting, Lundberg said, “Painting has always been my passion, because I love trying to replicate reality. Painting is peaceful and frustrating, but it is also satisfying in a way nothing else is.”
Lundberg’s painting is meant to depict what a room would look like if human life ceased existing, and only nature prevailed. Her series captures different architecture and how it would look once nature overtook it completely. Lundberg’s piece fits in perfectly with the exhibit, Visions of Green, not only due to the chromatic coloring of the painting but the statement behind it.
In a span of three years, Lundberg went from painting as a hobby to having her work showcased in a professional gallery. She hopes people continue to create weird and unique things, because those are the individuals who make history.
Lundberg’s work will be on display at the MVA for their exhibit of, Visions of Green until Sept. 27.
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