Some artists paint so viscerally that their brushstrokes almost come to life. Then there’s Jaime Byrd. A longtime filmmaker, Byrd uses augmented reality (AR) and a smartphone app called Artivive to fully animate her oil and encaustic works, blurring the line between the canvas and the tangible world. Byrd adopted this multimedia approach when COVID-19 put the kibosh on travel for her filmmaking projects. In June of 2021, she debuted her style at Trackside Studios during a solo showcase. More than two-thirds of her pieces sold on opening night. In keeping with this momentum, Byrd opened an eponymous gallery space in the recently renovated Aura Arts building in the River Arts District earlier this year. According to the artist, the 2,000-square-foot footprint affords her the freedom to “be creative without limitations.” The venue also allows visitors and collectors to “take in the emotional experience” of Byrd’s work. “Since each piece is its own immersive experience,” she says, “I now have enough space around each painting to give the viewer time … to reflect and enjoy each piece individually.” Byrd will host a grand opening celebration on Friday, May 3.
Jaime Byrd Contemporary Art Gallery (375 Depot St., Suite 105, River Arts District, Asheville) will host its Grand Opening Celebration on Friday, May 3, 4-7pm. For more information, visit jaimebyrd.com.