By:
Wofford College
Jake Crouse, crousejw@wofford.edu
SPARTANBURG, SC (02/11/2026)– Lyrical Dream Gist ’26 has brought her inner world to life in full color as Wofford’s 2026 Whetsell Fellow.
Her exhibition, titled “The Garden We Grow,” is on display through Feb. 22 in the Richardson Family Art Gallery, Rosalind Sallenger Richardson Center for the Arts. There will be an artist talk and reception for the exhibition at 5 p.m. on Feb. 12 in the Richardson Family Art Gallery.
In the center of the exhibit, self-portraits show the artist, who goes by Lyrical Dream in her artistic endeavors, distressed, trapped by vines or watched by flowers with eyes. On the surrounding walls, portraits of Dream’s friends and family smile back at viewers in vibrant selfies, painted in tones of pink, blue and purple with playful floral backgrounds.
Dream, a studio art major from Spartanburg, S.C., says this body of work shows how people can both nurture and neglect their psychological landscape. While her self-portraits reflect times that she felt lonely or isolated, the paintings of her community pay homage to those who have brought her comfort and helped her grow.
“The garden is a metaphor for our lives – your found family and the community you build around you,” says Dream. “It’s about watering the right garden.”
Since the show highlights community, Dream will use her Feb. 12 talk and reception to raise funds for the Spartanburg Soup Kitchen by selling tote bags, stickers and hand-painted jewelry featuring floral designs like those found in the gallery.
“With the importance of this show being on the people around you, I thought it was important to give back to the community,” she says.
The color palette that Dream employs – throughout her exhibit and in the items she sells – is her way of capturing the essence of community. Dream experiences chromesthesia, a form of sound-to-color synesthesia where certain music or sounds translate as colors.
“I used colors that were less true to life but coordinated to the sounds I associated with the person or the moment I was painting,” she says. All the portraits in the exhibit were sketched from a photo and then finger-painted. “I heard somewhere that the best way to keep your love for creativity is to create like a child. In finger painting, there will be mistakes, and it will look messy, but I have learned through this process that artwork doesn’t have to look perfect to be good.”
The Whetsell Fellowship provides yearly funding for supplies and instruction to support a student artist in creating an exhibition with the support of a faculty mentor. Dream’s mentor is Rebecca Forstater, assistant professor of studio art. She helped Dream develop her body of work with the audience experience in mind.
“Wofford has given me access to amazing professors, materials and opportunities. Each of the art professors helped me by providing feedback and ways I could better round out my vision,” says Dream.
Dream plans to grow her craft and enter professional art shows, and she also hopes to become a mentor to others. After graduation, she intends to pursue a teaching certificate with the goal of becoming an elementary school art teacher.
“Throughout my education, teachers have played an impactful role in my life,” she says. “I want to have a positive impact for someone else.”
The Whetsell Fellowship was established in 2006 by Dr. William O. Whetsell ’62 in memory of his brother, Dan Whetsell ’66. Its purpose is to support and promote the visual arts at Wofford, giving one student each year the opportunity to pursue study in the field.
Wofford College, established in 1854, is a four-year, residential liberal arts college located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The college is nationally known for its outstanding faculty, study abroad participation, successful and supportive graduates and commitment to making college affordable and accessible; 99% of students receive some form of financial assistance.
The college’s 180-acre campus, located within walking distance of Spartanburg’s thriving downtown, is home to about 1,800 undergraduates. In addition to a rigorous academic program and experiential learning opportunities (study abroad, career preparation, research and community-based learning), Wofford students enjoy Division I athletics, fraternity and sorority life and an active visual and performing arts scene. To learn more, visit wofford.edu.
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Author: Vareva Harris
