The Art Department at Thea Foundation presents Kat Wilson

Thea Foundation presents The Art Department’s next installment will feature the works of Bentonville-based photographer Kat Wilson in an exhibition titled Habitats: Bentonville and will debut with a reception Friday, Nov. 4, 2016, from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at Thea Foundation.

On November 4, $10 at the door covers heavy hors d’oeuvres by Ben E. Keith, an open beer and wine bar, a live musical performance by The Funkanites and the chance to win an original work by Wilson.

Wilson’s photographs have been published widely, including in the Washington Post, Oxford American, Los Angeles Times and most recently the Virginia Quarterly Review. A ten-time participant in the annual Arkansas Arts Center’s Delta Exhibition, Wilson has achieved numerous awards for her work.

About Habitats: Bentonville, Wilson said, “A habitat is the zone in which an organism lives and where it can find food, shelter, protection, and a mate for reproduction. Whether natural or physical, the environment that surrounds and sustains a species has long been subject matter for art. From John James Audubon to Walton Ford, composing a singular image that captures the essential details related to a species’ habitat has advanced our understanding of the world around us.”

In previous editions of Wilson’s Habitat photographs, emphasis was placed on the possessions and physical spaces occupied by each subject. A bias toward a dignified, somewhat regal, presentation of each sitter or group was intended. The majority of subjects were life-long friends or family of the artist, and the series shows an intention by Wilson to fashion her origins as an artist by capturing images of those who have been an influence in her life. Through portraiture of others, the series is a portrait of the artist.

The process of creating Habitats: Bentonville began with the artist cultivating new relationships in her new hometown, Bentonville, Arkansas. In contrast to previous Habitat photographs, each subject in the new series was able to compose his/her own environment for the camera. The photographs are a record of individual self-expression, but unlike social media where we each have an executive role in our highly edited self-styling, Wilson’s photographs present a genuine examination of the details of each subject and habitat zone. Seeking to capture as much information as possible about a subject in one composition, the images of Habitats: Bentonville are specifically contrived, but of honest evidence.

Wilson’s exhibition will be on display at Thea Foundation through the month of November. Thea Foundation is located at 401 Main Street in North Little Rock. Gallery hours are M – F, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., 1 – 5 p.m.  For more information, visit theasartdepartment.com, call 501-379-9512 or email stacey@theafoundation.org.