Have you ever considered the meaning of ‘home’ or how something as simple as a piece of cloth can carry such nostalgia?
Somé Louis has. In her latest exhibition, Sketches of Home: Personal Considerations of Cherished Space at New City Arts Initiative (NCAI), the Charlottesville-based conceptual artist reflects on the powerful connections between home, memory, family, and identity, using ordinary moments and objects you find in your own home.
In Charlottesville, Louis is a familiar name in the local creative scene. Since her youth days when she was studying art in the Albemarle County Public Schools and performing ballet and contemporary dance, art has been integral to her life. As a young adult, she has participated in residencies at New City Arts, Second Street Gallery, and McGuffey Art Center, where she is currently a member with an active studio practice. Additionally, she has collaborated with the Charlottesville Black Arts Collective, contributing to exhibitions such as “Blackity Black Black” and “Sugah: Black Love Endures.”
Sketches of Home: Somé Louis’s Intimate Exploration of Memory and Identity
Using antique linens, household objects, embroidery, and video, Louis transforms everyday materials into art, bridging the past and present. Drawing from her Caribbean childhood, she invites us to reflect on how the small, familiar moments of daily life shape our identities.
“A few years ago, I found a large pile of family photos in my basement,” Louis recalls. “The pile contained a few gems from the 1970s and earlier, and one of them was a photo of our family home in the Caribbean, where I spent lots of summers as a kid. The home is no longer safe to visit due to coastal erosion, but I still keep the photo as it depicts the most central room in the house – where we would play, eat, and relax – while it was in its prime.”
The impact of that memory is seen woven into her work today.
“While looking at the photo, I realized that the decoration of that room, especially the mundane household linens like doilies and table coverings really impacted some of the memories I had of childhood, home, and my current personal interests,” says Louis. “I think it was a beginning of considering a lot of the work and materials for this exhibition, especially embroidering on handkerchiefs with lace borders and embroidering on table napkins and linen cloth.”
New City Arts Initiative: A Welcoming Space for Artists and the Charlottesville Community
Founded in 2009, NCAI has become a cherished hub in Charlottesville’s creative community, celebrating and sharing art. At its core, New City Arts is dedicated to fostering connections through creative expression, and has long been committed to giving artists like Louis an opportunity to share their work while inviting audiences, welcoming UVA students, longtime locals, and newcomers alike into its intimate gallery space on Third Street.
Whether through exhibitions, artist residencies, or community events, New City Arts has cultivated a space where local artists and the community come together to explore deep human experiences through art no matter where you come from.
“I am always so grateful for the artists and spaces that create this creative Charlottesville community, and to all for supporting local artists,” says Louis.
Charlottesville’s Creative Tapestry: How Local Artists Reflect on the Meaning of Home
Louis has been a part of the New City Arts community in Charlottesville for years, taking part in residencies and various local projects, including a fellowship with NCAI in 2021. And with her recent exhibition at New City Arts, Sketches of Home, Louis invites us to reflect on our own personal stories and connections. Her work offers a fresh perspective on the everyday moments that shape us, reminding us all how art can bridge the past and present by simply linking our personal memories with shared experiences.
“Throughout the show, I have been very moved by viewers sharing their own cherished and family memories, as well as their own relationships with the collection of things like household linens and other simple objects,” she says. “I hope that my work, and the gallery space, can encourage viewers to consider their own personal histories, even if they are considered average or mundane.”
Charlottesville itself is a city shaped by memory—its red-brick downtown, historic homes, and ever-changing skyline tell a story of growth and preservation. Just as Louis captures home through fabric and thread, we all hold onto pieces of the places that have shaped us. Maybe it’s the creaky floors of an old home on West Main Street, the hush of a favorite corner in the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library, or the familiar bustle of the City Market on a Saturday morning.
What spaces in Charlottesville remind you of home?
Visit the Exhibition: Experience Sketches of Home at New City Arts
Visit New City Arts Initiative in Charlottesville to experience local art exhibitions and artist residencies firsthand. Explore upcoming exhibits at New City Arts! To nurture your own children’s imagination, you may want to consider art camps and art studio visits where you can craft with kids.
AMANDA DANAHER is a busy mom of five who is passionate about bringing encouragement to other parents through writing. She focuses on freelancing for Virginia parent and family magazines where she can utilize her journalism degree and share her parenting experience.
