Kerri Scharlin facts for kids

Kerri Scharlin is an American artist who creates paintings and special art projects. She lives and works in New York City. Kerri is known for her unique projects from the 1990s. These projects explored what makes up a person's identity. She did this by asking others, like police sketch artists or magazine writers, to create portraits or stories about her. The New York Times newspaper once said her art shows that who we are can change and grow over time.

Early Life and Education

Kerri Scharlin grew up in Miami, Florida. She studied art and earned degrees from Barnard College and the School of Visual Arts. She also attended the MFA program at Hunter College.

Kerri Scharlin's Art Projects

Witnessed

From 1991 to 1993, Kerri Scharlin asked her artist friends to describe her to police sketch artists. These are the artists who draw pictures of people based on descriptions. She then made large photographs of these drawings and showed them in art exhibits.

The Big Nothing or Le Presque Rien

In 1992, Kerri Scharlin helped organize an art show called "The Big Nothing or Le Presque Rien" at the New Museum. This show featured works by artists like Janine Antoni and Fred Wilson. The art in this exhibition was very subtle, meaning it was hard to notice at first. Sometimes, the room might have looked empty, but the art was there in quiet ways.

Student Body

In 1993, Kerri Scharlin put up signs offering herself as a free model for art students. In return for posing, she asked for the drawings and sculptures they made of her. She then showed these artworks at a gallery in New York. This project explored the relationship between an artist and their model.

Interview

For her project called Interview, Kerri Scharlin asked writers, photographers, and designers from famous magazines to create articles about her. These magazines included Self, Allure, G.Q., Vanity Fair, and Psychology Today. Each article was written in the style of its own magazine, showing different sides of her story.

Diary

In 1997, Kerri Scharlin asked writers from popular TV shows to turn parts of her personal diary into short scripts. These shows included The Simpsons, NYPD Blue, Caroline in the City, One Life to Live, Beavis and Butt-Head, Thirtysomething, and My So Called Life. She displayed drawings that showed scenes from these scripts. She also showed videos of many actresses trying out for the role of "Kerri Scharlin" in these scripts.

Girls' School Paintings

In 2006, Kerri Scharlin created a group of paintings inspired by her daughter's private school in Manhattan. These paintings explored themes related to the experiences of girls in such a school setting.

In Her Studio

In 2019, Kerri Scharlin showed a series of paintings that featured women artists in their studios. She found pictures of these artists online and then painted them in a colorful, expressive style. These paintings were meant to feel like an invitation to friendship and a way to build a community among artists.

Exhibitions

Kerri Scharlin has had many solo art shows. These include exhibitions at Dooley LeCappellaine in New York (1993), Postmasters Gallery in New York (1993), Jose Freire Gallery in New York (1994), Schaper Sundberg Galleri in Stockholm (1995), Wooster Gardens in New York (1997), Kustera Tilton Gallery in New York (2006), and New Release Gallery in New York (2019).

She also helped organize the art show The Big Nothing or Le Presque Rien at the New Museum in 1992.

Personal Life

Kerri Scharlin lives in New York City with her husband, Peter. They have a son and a daughter.