Cheryl Edwards
artist
dc
Cheryl D. Edwards was born in Miami Beach, Florida. She has exhibited widely in museums, university galleries, and galleries nationally and internationally. While practicing law in New York City, she began her art career by enrolling in the Art Student League and studied under Ernest Crichlow for a period of two years. She has been painting for over 25 years. Her medium is oil, ink, and mixed media. She is currently represented by Wohlfarth Galleries (Washington! DC); Artisan Direct, LLC (Rochester, NY); and Susanne Junggeburth Gallery (Germany) (website, http://www.us-arts.de). Edwards is most noted for artwork series, which focus on cultural and historical significance. Her most notable series are “The Return”, “The Ndebele Journey”, “Modern Day Madonna”, “Occupy America” and “50 Years”. “The Return”, a body of work that was conceptualized in the 1980’s and painted in 2007. Begun meta-phorically by two visits to Dakar, Senegal, and in particular, a visit to Goree Island, (the first geographical location of slavery as we know it historically in America), The Return series is a meditation on being “free” as we know freedom in today’s society. The Ndebele Journey, a 2008 series of seventeen oil paintings whose inspiration originated from the Ndebele people in South Africa in common everyday scenes, shows the use of dolls for the purpose of performing rituals and/or play. “Modern Day Madonna” is an ongoing series began in 2010, which consist of 20 works (Metropolitan A.M.E. Church in Washington, D.C. has used the artists Madonna works for its cover for the Messiah Program). Modern Day Madonna is an interpretation of the modern mother and son image. The eyes of each painting depict the love and the emotions of the maternal family. “The Occupy America” series conveys a special message. Beautifully composed and designed, this transformative work reminds us of musical notes that all work together in her thoughtful adaptation of the lost 99% in our country. Working in the printmaking techniques of woodcut and linocut, combined with painting in acrylic and drawing, photo transfer and collage. It is comprised of 31 mixed media artworks and was the exhibited as a solo show at the African American Museum of Nassau County in 2012. “50 Years” is a new series began in 2013 and is an ongoing series with only 15 paintings created to date. 50 Years speaks to the Civil Rights Journey and pays homage to the recent 50 Year anniversary of this movement. Some of her exhibition sites are the African American Museum of Dallas, the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, the African American Museum of Nassau County, the Red Dot Art Fair (Miami-Art Basel), the Spectrum Art Fair (Miami-Art-Basel), Gallery That (Hong Kong), Juggenburth Galleries (Germany), Wohlfarth Galleries (DC), Jubilee Gallery (Black Fine Art Show Puck Building), David Driskell Center for the Arts (University of Maryland, 128 Gallery (NYC). Some of her selected publications are as follows: Galleries Magazine November 2008 Vol 36, No. 3 On the Cover Cheryl Edwards Ndebele Dolls black Ink and oil o/c, 2008, 20” x 20” Cheryl Edwards, New Exhibit Ndebele Journey, Curated by Lisa Farrell Ndebele People - Dolls Ritual/Play This series sets forth the concept of the use of dolls by the Ndebele People of South Africa. Catalogue published by the African American Museum of Nassau County. Artisans Magazine published by Artisan Direct LLC.
