This past Friday, I had the pleasure of visiting the Diane Kidd Gallery at Tiffin University for the opening reception of my solo exhibition, Rags to R!ches. And wow, what a night!
The concept behind Rags to R!ches plays on both my process and my name. I often work with found objects and discarded materials, things like cardboard boxes, bottle caps, and wine corks, and transform them into something new. That’s the “Rags” part. The “R!ches” part comes from my own name, R!ch, and the old saying rags to riches. It’s about reimagining what’s been tossed aside and giving it new life (with a little style and spray paint, of course).
The show looked beautiful, and I have to give a shout-out to the folks who put it together. The gallery team, led by Joe and his crew, did a fantastic job curating the space and making everyone feel welcome. There was even a fancy spread of light appetizers and refreshments, because who doesn’t love art with snacks?
After settling in, I was introduced to the guests and asked to say a few words about my work. No problem there, I’m a social butterfly! The audience asked great questions about my techniques and the relationship between my images and the text I use. I could tell people were really engaged, which always makes talking about my art even more rewarding.
One of my favorite parts of the evening was chatting one-on-one afterward, especially with the students and young artists who came through. They reminded me of my own early days, full of ideas, ambition, and not quite aware of the bumps waiting out there in the real world. I hope something I said stuck with them in a positive way, maybe gave them a little motivation to keep pushing forward.
All in all, it was a wonderful evening. I made some new friends, had some great conversations, and left feeling incredibly grateful. Huge thanks again to Joe and everyone at the Diane Kidd Gallery for the warm welcome and the flawless event.
If you haven’t been to the gallery yet, go check it out! Whether you’re an artist, an art lover, or just curious, it’s absolutely worth the visit.
