 "Photo: Chris Alton and Jacob Streilein.")
 "Photo: Robert Talley.")
 "Photo: Hanna Reed")
Being an artist involves ceaseless passion. Painting, sculpture, mixed media, photography; these media require pursuit in the face of disproportionate financial reward. Making a living — in the standard sense of feeding oneself — as an artist is a tough business.
As the economic battle rages, artists soldier on. "Homegrown/Under 35" — an exhibit at Craven Allen Gallery in Durham — features 16 young artists educated in Durham public schools.
Despite experiencing various levels of success, a common thread connects the artists' diverse work. All have been touched by local educator and artist Helen Griffin.
Griffin taught art in Durham public schools for 25 years. While preparing for retirement she began to think about the talent she had encountered over a quarter century of public service.
In customary selfless response, Griffin curated "Homegrown/Under 35." She spent hundreds of hours selecting work created by former students.
"It was always in the back of my mind that I wanted their work seen." Griffin said. "I know how hard it is to get work seen. In this economy it is very tough to make a living as an artist. They need to sell their work."
N.C. Central University studio art senior Tyson Watson has two still life oil paintings displayed in "Homegrown/Under 35." A single dad, Watson does much of his work at home. He completed one of the paintings — "Still Life Study in Red" — on his dining room table.
"I would like for someone to look at my painting and be inspired by it," Watson said. "I like to incorporate spiritual things. I love to experiment with light and reflection." Watson's practical approach to a career as an artist may involve teaching at the university level.
Hannah Reed is working toward an M.F.A. in performance art. She attends the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Her piece "For Trying to Remember" is a tallis, or Jewish prayer shawl, created from book pages and black thread. Reed created the shawl with five books, including "My Bondage and My Freedom" by Frederick Douglass and "Auschwitz and After" by Charlotte Delbo.
"The genesis of the piece was my inability to read the texts, a literal emotional reaction that would force me to close the books," Reed said. "The object [tallis] is allowing a point of access to the content. Let's confront this history," she said. Reed views the tallis as a ritual object of remembrance.
The object establishes that the act of remembering is inherent to the moral code. "The garment is the burden itself and the burden's weight," Reed said.
Subversive portrayal in a mixed-media work by Bryan Crabtree contrasts with the spiritually evocative paintings of Jermario Couch. Robert Talley's ink and pencil work is equal parts hyperrealist and organic.
"Homegrown/Under 35" is a chorus of unique voices chanting the narrative of Griffin's life in public service. The work testifies not only to her students' talent, but to her own as well.
Craven Allen Gallery co-owner John Bloedorn had known Griffin for many years before she approached him about hosting the exhibit.
"Helen is an incredible teacher who really pays attention not only to who students are, but where they might go," Bloedorn said. "The minute Helen brought it up we thought it was a great idea." "Homegrown/Under 35" shows at Craven Allen Gallery in Durham through Nov. 26.
The gallery is located at 1106 1/2 Broad Street.
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