“At first glance, I don’t look like I’m mixed-race. People view me as being one way, but I most relate to being someone of color,” she said.
All drawings in the series are done in graphite using only a drafting pencil. Wells says the technique allows her to create the desired “sharp contrast and isolation,” helping to further illustrate the motif of race.
“I like the grit of it,” she said. “It’s just natural. Also, I guess it’s just my sarcastic sense of humor, but black and white goes with my theme.”
Wells’ work has been shown in several group exhibitions in galleries and spaces throughout New England and New York City. Her drawings can be found in the private collections of some of the most renowned art collectors in the country.
Wells says she is particularly proud that many people of mixed race purchase her drawings.
“My target audience understands and I did them justice,” she said. “It wasn’t just me going out on a limb and speaking for myself; it’s actually how people feel.”
But “There Are No Others Around Me” is mostly about how Wells feels. A self-confessed “old soul,” the petite artist says all of the figures depicted in her work can be described as self-portraits.
Audiences may find some to be controversial.
“The Clown” features Wells in blackface and is one of three in a collection of depictions of stereotypes for people of color. The others, titled “Jezebel” and “Mammy,” are on display at other locations.
“Each represents a certain aspect of my personality,” Wells said. “I can see myself in every one of them, so I decided to take a piece of each of those stereotypes and push those definitions upon myself to see how people would react.”
While Wells says the response has been positive, she admits that her audience doesn’t always understand her humor. She’s even been asked if she is ashamed of her family or where she comes from.
“I’m being very tongue-in-cheek,” said the self-described comedian and entertainer. “It’s just my way of dealing with things.”
Whether or not every audience member relates to Wells’ perspective, she hopes to spark dialogue by drawing — and thinking — outside the box.
“It’s an easier way to make it an open topic for discussion, because it’s a heavy subject,” she said. “You can like my work or you can hate it, as long as it opens the discussion.”
“There Are No Others Around Me,” featuring the graphite drawings of Taryn Wells, is on display through Aug. 29 at the Brookline Arts Center, 86 Monmouth Street, Brookline. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For more information, visit www.brooklineartscenter.com
