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Under the Surface Art Exhibit at Street SmARTS Gallery
- Jennifer Jones
- Mar 29
- 2 min read
It started, like most gallery days do, with the idea that we’d “just hang a few things.”
Matt came over to help, and within about five minutes it became clear what his role would be. He’d hang a painting, step back, and I’d say something like, “What if we moved that one up a little?”
So, he would.
“And maybe that one down?”
He’d move that too.
“Actually… what if this one went over here instead?”
April Art Exhibit at Street SmARTS Gallery.
At that point, we both just accepted that this was how the day was going to go.
To his credit, he was a very good sport about all of it. As much as he makes me a little crazy sometimes, he really is a good egg. He didn’t even question the phrase “just one more tiny adjustment,” which I said enough times that it stopped sounding small.
Somewhere in the middle of all the shifting and second-guessing, the gallery quietly turned into an ocean.
At that point, we both just accepted that this was how the day was going to go.
To his credit, he was a very good sport about all of it. As much as he makes me a little crazy sometimes, he really is a good egg. He didn’t even question the phrase “just one more tiny adjustment,” which I said enough times that it stopped sounding small.
Somewhere in the middle of all the shifting and second-guessing, the gallery quietly turned into an ocean.
I’ve been working on this Under the Surface art exhibit for a while now, and a few of these paintings have been tucked away longer than they should have been. Pulling them back out felt a little like checking in on old friends—some familiar, some slightly different than I remembered, all of them ready to be seen again.
And together, they made this strange little underwater world.
The fish are colorful and may or may not be coordinating with the coral. No one has confirmed it, but it does feel suspiciously intentional. The octopus take up exactly as much space as they need (which feels like a personal challenge I haven’t mastered), and the stingrays drift through like they’ve just stopped in to see what’s going on before heading somewhere else.
The fish, though, they have plans. Not urgent plans. Just enough purpose to make you wonder what they’re up to.
Some pause for a kiss. Some drift by like they’ll get where they’re going eventually. Some seem very busy, and a few seem perfectly content to just exist and watch everything else happen.
Nothing down here is in much of a hurry.
By the end of the day, after all the moving up, down, and slightly to the left, everything finally settled into place. The walls felt full in that way that means it’s time to stop touching things before you ruin it.
If you stop in, you might notice something right away, or it might take a minute. Or you might just enjoy the color and not worry about it at all. That feels about right for this one.
If you’re nearby, come see the Under the Surface art exhibit at Street SmARTS Gallery. Everything’s already been moved as much as it’s going to be… probably.
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