Personal Narratives 

DATE:
June 3 - June 28, 2026

ARTISTS:
Wayne Bowen, Margaret Ryan, James Sparks, & Lavinia Wiggins

CURATOR:
Debra Feiman, Kelly Edwards

OPENING RECEPTION:
Friday, June 5, 2026 4:00p - 7:00p

Join Arbor Gallery for Personal Narratives, a group exhibition featuring original artwork by Wayne Bowen, Margaret Ryan, James Sparks, and Lavinia Wiggins.

This exhibition brings together artists whose work explores personal history, memory, identity, observation, and lived experience. Each piece offers a window into an individual perspective, inviting viewers to connect with the stories, emotions, moments and places behind the work.

For collectors and art lovers, Personal Narratives offers an opportunity to discover meaningful original artwork and connect with artists working in distinct and expressive styles.

I am an artist based in Westchester, NY, where I live and work. My creative practice centers on the genre of realism, with a particular emphasis on scenes from everyday life and the depiction of ordinary objects.
A recurring theme in my work is the portrayal of people within their environments. I am especially interested in discovering and highlighting beauty among those who are marginalized or disenfranchised. As I seek out compelling compositions, I am attentive to the circumstances that shape these individuals’ lives.
My inspiration often comes from observing city stoops, the energy of bustling street corners, and the peacefulness found in landscapes that juxtapose urban life with the natural world. These settings provide opportunities to explore the interplay of light and shadow, which I study with care and intention.
Through my focused observation of light and shade, I aim to invite viewers to witness the resilience and grace present in lives that are too frequently overlooked, as well as in landscapes that often go unnoticed. My commitment to realism is more than a stylistic preference, it is an act of empathy. By transforming ordinary moments into thoughtful reflections on humanity, I strive to create work that resonates on a deeper, more compassionate level.

I have been doing art in one form or another ever since I left school; I enjoy exploring color to help capture the mood and light of the moment in my plein aire paintings, and the discovery of texture and movement within the various applications of acrylic on the paper in my more abstract artwork. Its a process of discovery of finding new and exciting marks I can make with scratching and applying other marks to a piece to hopefully create an interesting piece.

Friends in their studio series

This series of paintings of fellow artists and friends in their creative spaces examines the character and personality of all the objects that define their unique artistic temperaments. From rugs to pets to scenes out of windows, the compositions celebrate individuality, originality, and special friendships.

Lavinia Wiggins is an artist based in Peekskill, NY whose work explores light, and the visual presence of familiar or previously used spaces or objects.

Inspired by everyday sights, and old belongings, or overlooked items, the practice focuses on transforming familiar elements into contemporary compositions. The work emphasizes surface light while referencing memory and the passage of time in a direct and understated way.