Works of two inspirational artists now on display at RPL

Snarl will be on view from May 6, until September 6, with a reception planned for May 14, from 6-8 p.m. (Courtesy image)

ROCHESTER - Creative Guts will present Snarl, a duo exhibition featuring the works of Heather Hernon and Raisa Tolchinsky. As two past guests of the Creative Guts podcast, The works will be on display at the Carnegie Gallery at Rochester Public Library.

Raisa Tolchinsky earned recognition as the author of "Glass Jaw," securing the Lexi Rudnitsky First Book Prize in 2023. Her poems have been featured in Boston Review, Kenyon Review, and Michigan Quarterly Review. With an MFA from the University of Virginia and a B.A. from Bowdoin College, Raisa's academic background grounds her work. She served as the 2022-2023 George Bennett Writer-in-Residence at Phillips Exeter Academy and currently studies at Harvard Divinity School. Before that, she lived in Chicago, Bologna, and New York City, where she trained as a boxer.

Heather Hernon's artistic journey began in childhood, drawing with her dad. After earning a BFA from Plymouth State University, she spent over 20 years as a fashion designer in NYC, working for brands like Gap and Tommy Hilfiger. During this time, she maintained her personal art practice, often drawing in bed. Returning to New Hampshire in 2020, Heather transitioned to teaching art at Phillips Exeter Academy and the Portsmouth Music and Art Center. Now, she works in her studio at the Button Factory in Portsmouth, continuing her love for drawing, block printing, and painting.

Through flowing words and hair that weaves in the wind, Hernon and Tolchinsky's works seamlessly intertwine in this curated showcase, offering a blend of visual and written works that converge in thoughtful imagination through the intertwined worlds of visual art and poetry.

Snarl will be on view from May 6, until September 6, with a reception planned for May 14, from 6-8 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend. The Rochester Public Library is located at 65 South Main Street, Rochester.

To learn more about Heather and Raisa, visit www.heatherhernon.com and www.raisatolchinsky.com. Creative Guts is a 501c3 nonprofit organization on a mission to awaken creativity within people of all ages by curating an environment for connection, collaboration, and the opportunity for gutsy creatives to share their stories with the world. Visit www.creativegutspodcast.com to learn more.

The museum is sponsored by the City of Rochester, Rochester Main Street, Waterstone Properties Group, Bernier Insurance, Meredith Village Savings Bank, Creative Guts Podcast, and the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce.