On Display at GRCC’s Paul Collins Art Gallery During ArtPrize 2024
We look at screens more than we look at people. Is that a problem?
This is one of the big questions Erin Reinholtz hopes viewers will think about as they consider her work during ArtPrize.
“10,000 Followers” is a series of five large portraits drawn in charcoal and oil. The impetus for this work stemmed in part from big conversations about the long-term social impacts of screen addiction and cell phone use.
“My work is a visual pondering about the consequences of social media on human interaction,” Reinholtz said. “So many people aspire to have thousands of followers on Facebook but have fewer and fewer meaningful friendships. I want us to ask ourselves: Is this healthy?”
Reinholtz chose to focus on the eyes in her portraits to spark a dialogue about how we connect with others.
“Eye contact is something you automatically understand,” Reinholtz said. “When we make space to connect with real people, in person, we develop deeper and more compassionate relationships. We see below the surface.”
The five portraits in this work represent real people. Reinholtz put out a call for self-portraits in the small town of Lowell. She got a great response, even though she didn’t know any of the people personally.
“I tried to feel a deep connection to the people I painted,” Reinholtz said. “I chose colors based on the vibe I got as I looked into their eyes. I’m trying to convey a message and help others feel that same connection.”
Her compelling desire for eye contact also comes from personal experience.
“About nine years ago, I started having issues with my eyes,” Reinholtz said. “I gradually lost the ability to drive and to read. I was in a tremendous amount of pain.”
Thankfully, she was able to get a diagnosis, and treatment eventually restored her vision. That experience provided a catalyst for Erin to take art back up again.
“I had put my art on hold while raising a family,” Reinholtz said. “After the scare that I might lose my eyesight, I realized I have a story to share through my work. I felt like I wasn’t using my gift—that I had acted as if I would always have a chance to paint again. To not share my work with others was selfish.”
Erin thinks ArtPrize is a wonderful way to elevate the importance of art.
“This kind of city-wide experience is very different from visiting a single gallery,” Reinholtz said. “Being able to see art in many different places encourages curiosity. It helps people enjoy art in a way they didn’t expect. It also helps them start to appreciate what they like as they see art from all walks of life.”
Erin hopes people who experience “10,000 Followers” feel inspired and grateful in the moment.
“We live in a society driven by power and money, but life is about more than that. No matter how hard life gets, I try to be grateful and appreciate what I have.”
You can learn more about Erin and her work via her erinreinholtz.com.
GRCC is hosting six ArtPrize entries in the Paul Collins Art Gallery, located on the fourth floor of the Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall at 143 Bostwick Ave. NE. ArtPrize is open to the public from September 13-28, 2024. Learn more about the competition, venues, artists and voting here.