Collection: California Girls

Exhibition statement

Can a drawing transport us to the places or people we wish to revisit? Enthralled by Hawaii after a family trip in 2005, David Bauman (1969-2019) made the islands and their primordial landscapes the focus of his work, drawing intricately patterned volcanoes, craters, and clouds from memory. In his drawings, he sought to manifest the places he longed for, encapsulating the essence of what moved him -- the colors, the vibrations, the dynamism of the landscape and its wild inhabitants. In 2014, he returned to Hawaii with his sister, where he lived for the rest of his life.  

Eric Sherarts (b. 1969) is deeply interested in shape, color, and texture. In his 26-year career at Interact and lifelong artistic practice, Sherarts has often made the natural world the focus of his work. Leading up to the exhibition, he created new pieces in response to Bauman’s archive. In a series of recent embroideries on felt, Sherarts tenderly outlines flower petals with thread, embellishing them with vivid, loosely painted fields of color. Another piece, an ink drawing of a leaping leopard, echoes the work of Bauman, who devoted years to drawing big cats. 

Sherarts and Bauman were inseparable from a young age. They met at six months through the University of Minnesota’s comprehensive Edge program, which was developed to enhance education for children with Down syndrome. Over the years, they continued their friendship, sharing a sublime sense of humor and a love for professional wrestling, Nintendo, and pizza. At Interact they practiced side by side, each pursuing their own interests, often finding their way to parallel themes. Among other things, California Girls reflects the dedication each artist brought to his subjects. When asked what the process of putting the show together was like, Sherarts says, “Happy. I made that for David.” 

The opening reception, which is free and open to the public, falls between the artists’ July birthdays. It will include food and beverages selected by Sherarts based on meals they used to share: pizza, Pepsi, and beer. There will also be a WWE-themed birthday cake.