The Sold Firm Gallery Welcomes New Young Curator

The content of this post comes from an announcement by The Sold Firm...

The Sold Firm — located on 8th and Tatnall Streets in the heart of downtown Wilmington — is an intimate contemporary gallery focusing on the curation of emerging artists of several genres and styles who may be unable to exhibit in larger institutions.

Owner and gallerist Nataki Oliver has kept strong to that mission since opening in 2019, while also hosting broader community events and arts-based workforce development opportunities for Wilmington youth. Recently, Oliver was proud to make the below announcement:

"Many teens have come through the gallery as assistants. The journey finding one dedicated to learning smarter who also 'breathes' the arts was the goal. I knew one day the 'Wright' person would walk in and own their place in The Sold Firm Art Gallery.

I am extremely excited to announce that teen is Nia Rae Wright! Nia Rae has been working hard for a year at the gallery. She is more than I expected but exactly what the gallery needs. The most fitting opportunity for Nia Rae is taking the lead as a paid 2025 Guest Curator.

Nia Rae is currently planning the fist exhibit coming in February 2025. The exhibit will exclusively feature selected visual artists over the age of 60 years old. I will be behind her to make sure she has the support to deliver her vision. Please congratulate Nia Rae on being amazing!"

Wright is a 17-year-old junior at Cab Calloway School of the Arts, majoring in Visual Arts and Theatre (Acting). She says that as much as she enjoys her work as a guest curator at the Sold Firm, she doesn't really see herself pursuing gallery managing or owning as a career.

"I started [with The Sold Firm] last November to collect volunteer hours for my school's National Arts Honors Society," Wright says. "but it ended up going beyond that and now I’m [Nataki's] intern/assistant."

Her favorite aspect of the job is definitely the opening night of exhibits and getting to see people come in and look at the art and discuss it with others.

So, with this experience on her resumé, does Wright have any advice for emerging or aspiring artists? "Whatever it is you want to do just go for it," she says, "whether that’s getting your art into a gallery or experimenting with a new medium!"

Delaware Arts Info wishes Nia all the best in her exciting new chapter and thanks The Sold Firm for providing opportunities like this for Wilmington youth to experience and become involved in the arts!

CLICK HERE to see Nia Wright in action at the gallery...

Exhibit at The Sold Firm Features Works of Incarcerated Artist

Starting this month, Wilmington gallery The Sold Firm — headed by owner/gallerist, Nataki Oliver — presents a solo exhibition from artist Sakana Walls. 

Walls, 49, is a Philadelphia visual artist currently incarcerated in a Delaware correctional facility. 

Walls actually began his creative path in the culinary field. He has been incarcerated since 2006 with three years left on his sentence. Walls began drawing seriously in 2010 and painting in 2016, starting with his first piece, “Weathering The Storm,” which is featured in the exhibit.

The exhibit, entitled STORM, opened on February 19 and will run through April 24, 2021. During points in the exhibit, Sakana will be present on video from the correctional facility.

With Oliver's assistance, we were able to connect with Walls and ask him a few questions about his exhibit. Check out our discussion below...

*How long have you been creating? What is your medium of choice and why?

I've been creating for about 11 years now. I started sketching with pencil and charcoal, but I found it more liberating to work with acrylic. I use to observe other artists painstakingly mixing colors, trying to produce a hue that was considered "acceptable," and I didn't see any freedom in the practice. I treat each color as I would any individual: Accept it for its truest form/essence. If we can embrace who we really are, maybe we could come together and create something beautiful.

*Why did you choose the title "STORM" for this exhibit?

It was something that was discussed between Nataki and myself. when I told her my story, we agreed that "Storm" would best describe the exhibit. The pieces that were chosen for this exhibit represent hope, spirituality, and consciousness. All things needed in this trying time.

*What do you want your work to "say" to patrons? 

I really do not want the pieces to say anything. Rather, I want the pieces to act as a defibrillator...to allow the numbness (that has developed over the last couple of years) to diminish. I also want people to think about what happened in the last couple of years with our government, the pandemic, and within our communities.

*What is your favorite piece in the exhibit and why?

My favorite piece is the hooded man titled Weathering The Storm. It's a representation of who I've become. The searchlight in the lower right represents the prison life left behind. The rain and the lightning represent the adversity going on in the world. The jacket represents consciousness, protection from all of the elements.

*How do you feel the arts have helped you during this time and how will they serve you going forward? 

Sitting back and doing the same things day in and out does not promote growth. I refused to succumb to the "Groundhog Day effect," so it was important for me to not become institutionalized. I had to find something to do differently. Creating something new every day allowed me to do time purposefully. Going forward, I see the arts hopefully serving as a vehicle to bring togetherness and awareness within the community and beyond.

*What advice can you give to other justice-involved individuals?

Holding yourself accountable will prove to be beneficial in the growth process. If you're experiencing an injustice, educate yourself and make it a fair fight. Adding other than self to the thought process will produce different results.

*What are your goals — artistic and personal — now and post-incarceration?

As an artists, I want to continue to make people feel; personally, I want to educate self before I medicate others. After my release, I want to continue to live life with purpose. 

“We must conquer self doubt in order to weather our own personal storm; then we’ll be able to learn, understand and respect one another.” — Sakana Walls

Reservations to attend the exhibit must be made online. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, masks are required while in the gallery. For more information and reservations, visit thesoldfirm.com.

The Sold Firm Art Gallery Celebrates Grand Opening in Wilmington's Creative District

Content of this post comes from a City of Wilmington press release...

Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki and City Cultural Affairs Director Tina Betz congratulate Nataki Oliver, owner and operator of The Sold Firm, on the modern art gallery’s official grand opening held Saturday, August 1, 2020. 

The gallery, located at 800-B North Tatnall Street in the City’s Creative District, was founded by Oliver in 2019 to exhibit emerging modern and contemporary artists who tackle diverse subjects such as beauty, sexuality, emotions, and current culture.

“We are very happy to officially welcome Nataki Oliver and The Sold Firm to the Creative District,” said Mayor Purzycki. “This intimate space is an important addition to Wilmington’s cultural life and we are a better, richer City for the incredible talent assembled here. With Art Loop on hold for the foreseeable future, Oliver’s gallery provides a welcome refuge for art lovers from all over the City and the surrounding region.”

“The Sold Firm adds a contemporary newness to its surroundings,” said Oliver. “Fine art, culture, love, and support are our core elements to injecting vibrancy into Wilmington. Residents and visitors are welcome to immerse themselves in this modern art gallery. The collections of modern art displayed here have been carefully curated to represent multiple creative styles that complement our bright, simplistic aesthetic.”

At Saturday’s event, which included a ribbon-cutting and timed gallery tours, two black youths with an interest in the visual arts were presented with complete art kits and private art lessons at The Sold Firm this fall by local artist, James Wyatt. This initiative was funded by proceeds from the sale of OVOW (Our Voices Our Way) T-shirts. The grand opening was also celebrated by Council President Hanifa Shabazz and 4th District Council Member Michelle Harlee.

The Sold Firm’s current group exhibit, “Pendulum Swing,” also kicked off with the gallery’s sold-out grand opening ceremony on Saturday. The exhibit brings together 15 black artists from as far away as Florida to allow their voices about the current climate to be heard through visual art, each with a unique expression that conveys pain, triumph, and optimistic views of their feelings.

All of the “Pendulum Swing” artists will receive a 100% commission on any artwork sold during the public exhibit, which continues until October 30, 2020.

Tickets are available on the gallery’s website at www.thesoldfirm.com. You can also follow @thesoldfirm on Facebook and Instagram for updates.