Studio 116 presents
Beloved Community: Portraits of Honor, by Evie Lennon
At a glance:
What: Beloved Community: Portraits of Honor
When: June 5 - 27; Opening Reception, Friday June 5, 6-8p.m.; Artist Talk at 6:45 p.m.
Where: Studio 116, 116 W. Blue Ridge Rd., East Flat Rock, NC
How much: Free and open to the public
Information: studio116nc.com
Studio 116 is excited to present Beloved Community: Portraits of Honor with paintings and sculpture by Irish American artist Evie Lennon that highlight her African American heroes, both public and personal, in the ongoing movement for Civil Rights. The show will run from June 5–27 at Studio 116 in East Flat Rock, North Carolina. An opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, June 5 will include an artist talk at 6:45 p.m.
Inspiration for Beloved Community arose as public conversations intensified around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the faces of the people Lennon deeply admired kept entering her mind. The exhibit honors a variety of Lennon’s heroes, many of them former colleagues from a career as an art educator in predominantly African American schools in Kansas City and as a hospital chaplain in Atlanta. Lennon’s perspective was profoundly shaped by the resilience and dedication of her fellow educators as well as by students, their families, and healthcare professionals.
Black activists—from Alvin Brooks and MLK Jr., to Brad Lomax and Colin Kaepernick—also have pride of place in the exhibit. Figures represented in Beloved Community were selected from a list of over a hundred people—mentors, coworkers, church elders, and neighbors who have made a deep impression on Lennon over the years, including the celebrated choir director Dr. Roosevelt Escalante and her former supervisor and principal Dr. Jennifer Malone, who is now an Assistant Professor of Education at Missouri Western State University.
“In times of cultural tension, the quiet truth of who we are—and how we choose to see one another—matters more than ever,” says Lennon, who now resides in Hendersonville, North Carolina. “Witnessing individuals overcome extraordinary obstacles to create opportunity, purpose, and hope was the norm, not the exception, in my experience.”
Lennon believes the dignity and merit of public figures—as well as those who continue to lead, uplift, heal and inspire in the face of adversity—were being diminished in public discourse and the dismantling of DEI initiatives. She views each artwork in Beloved Community as a creation expressing her gratitude and love, celebrating the ripple effect one person’s vision and influence can have on widening circles.
A St. Louis native, Lennon spent decades in Kansas City and Atlanta before moving to western North Carolina in 2025 to continue her fine art career. She holds a BFA from Washington University in St. Louis, a Master’s in Studio Arts from the University of Missouri–Kansas City. She earned her K–12 teaching certificate from Avila University after working as a continuing education instructor and admissions counselor for the Kansas City Art Institute.
Lennon’s work has been exhibited widely, including in venues in Kansas City, Atlanta, Minneapolis, and Tulsa. She is the author and illustrator of the art journaling guide “Drawing Comfort for Chronic Conditions” and has created murals for public and private spaces including St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City and in numerous locations in Atlanta.
“I realize now that my unshakeable feeling that I was in the presence of greatness was spot on, because the people I was graced to know tirelessly continue to do good in a world that can make you so tired,” Lennon says. “The people I painted and sculpted couldn’t be more different from one another but what they had in common was an indomitable spirit.”
Studio 116 is located at 116 W. Blue Ridge Rd., East Flat Rock, NC, 28726. Regular gallery hours are Wednesday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., or by appointment. For more information on Studio 116, upcoming events, and artist studio rentals, visit studio116nc.com. On Instagram and Facebook: @studio116nc.