More Than Words Exhibit Now Open at the NoName Gallery
Reported Friday, April, 5, 2024. Updated April 10, 2024.

Pictured Above: Artists and arts patrons gather for the opening of the More Than Words exhibition, running now through April 28, 2024. Photo Credit: Contributed.
NEWSROOM POST: PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
Philadelphia, PA – MORE THAN WORDS, curated by Avec Art Consulting, explores the diverse works of leading contemporary artists Deb Lawrence, Scott Troxel, Brian Golden Dovie, and Nicholas Megalis, the exhibition will be on view until April 28th, 2024.

Through language, abstraction, and figurative shapes, the collection evokes deep reflection on the human experience, encompassing love, joy, humor, fear, loss, and doubt. Subtle narratives have always shaped perceptions of the world – of others and ourselves – establishing standards that directly affect our daily experiences and choices. With this exhibition of distinctive artistic styles and unique backgrounds, we invite viewers to engage with a vibrant spectrum of voices, symbols, words, and expressions.
MORE THAN WORDS is on view now through 28th of April in the vibrant atmosphere of NoName Gallery in Philadelphia’s historic Chestnut Hill. For artwork inquiries, artist interviews, or private tours of the exhibition please email Kim@AvecArtConsulting.com.

Deb Lawrence is an acclaimed painter living and working outside Philadelphia in an historic farmhouse and barn, home to her studio. Meticulously layered and creased, her work deals with our struggle to feel comfortable in our own skin by honoring the soulful beauty of our blemishes. Driven by her background in clinical psychology and previous experience as a child psychologist, Lawrence’s paintings can be characterized as nuanced mindscapes infused with elements of playful figuration.
“I’m interested in the interplay between our genuine, authentic selves and the unpredictable world around us. I work on intentionally marred canvas, antique linen, and other repurposed materials that come to me bearing a story and a soul which I embrace through my layering of shards of discarded materials along with oil paint, oil stick, acrylic paint, and marble dust. In my way of seeing, it’s the creases, and patches and imperfect wobbly lines that create the patina and soulfulness I yearn for in my paintings and in life.” – stated Lawrence
Brian Dovie Golden– Brian Dovie Golden is a Chicago-based contemporary artist and painter. His thought-provoking, emotionally-charged creations allow viewers to dive into the issues of race, gender, pop culture and mental health. Golden is a graduate of the International Academy of Design And Technology in Chicago, with a BFA in graphic design/multimedia production.
Golden remarks: “Like a storm churning the ocean, grief has a wonderful way of bringing deeply rooted issues to the surface. My work portrays my journey living with generalized anxiety disorder while contextualizing the pain of losing my son 8 years ago. The series of my work from 2016-2018 was my therapy as I coped with tragedy, chaos, loss of faith, apathy, stress, and every feeling in between. My portraits and figures give physical shape to the joyfully high and wretchedly low feelings that surround us – Often both at once. I’ve used the figures as a reminder that god is still there even if I can’t see or feel his presence. I am still walking through this storm, but they are my reminder that storms don’t last forever.”

Scott Troxel -Scott Troxel is an award-winning artist who draws on the aesthetics of bygone technology and the forward-looking designs of the Atomic Age and mid-century modernism to make dynamic, retro-futurist wooden sculptures that evoke nostalgia as much as they look to the future. His hand-carved three-dimensional sculptures embody a theme of positivity and inspiration as his work originates from looking at objects or emotions and breaking them down into their abstract forms. Troxel’s works are held in corporate, hotel, and private collections across the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and South America and exhibited in prestigious fairs and exhibitions across the country.

Nicholas Megalis – Nicholas Megalis is a visual artist, director, and viral singer-songwriter based in Palm Springs, California. Raised in a family of artists and Greek immigrants (his father is celebrated artist and animator, Tom Megalis), Nicholas’s life has been a strange and beautiful ride. His latest creations focus on mental health and primarily consist of paintings adorned with peculiar phrases. Undoubtedly, the words he selects hold significant meaning; however, the key to fully experiencing these pieces lies in embodying their overarching narratives. These phrases resonate an assurance that it’s okay to be different. In fact, it’s essential. Megalis’s artworks possess a universal quality allowing every person to feel acknowledged and understood.
About Avec Art Consulting
Kim Pepper, the founder and principal art advisor at Avec Art Consulting, a firm based in Philadelphia, specializes in offering art curation and advisory services to residential and corporate clients. With over 15 years of experience in the aesthetic field, Pepper has a passion for designing functional yet beautiful environments, integrating contemporary art and placemaking strategies into public and private spaces. Pepper’s practice is dedicated to elevating narratives and artists from historically marginalized communities. Her mission is to connect architects, developers, designers, galleries, collectors, and artists while offering the ability to provide a full range of artistic solutions to enhance spaces and tell compelling stories.
About NoName Gallery
Located within the culturally vibrant village of Chestnut Hill, NoName Gallery is dedicated to showcasing contemporary, urban, street, pop, and abstract artwork as well as unique artisanal home furnishings. Before founding NoName Gallery in 2022, owner/curator Jonene Lee was initially known for her work as an artist and photographer. With a radiant smile, welcoming spirit, and deep appreciation for the arts, she invites people from all walks of life to experience her eclectic gallery. In such a short time since its opening, NoName has garnered attention from art enthusiasts beyond Philadelphia, counting renowned filmmaker Spike Lee and musician-producer Questlove among its esteemed collectors.