Both Sides of the Line: Carmen Herrera & Leon Polk Smith, a two-person art exhibition, burst onto the scene at the University of Michigan Museum of Art.
This is not just another exhibition — it’s a powerhouse pairing. Two lifelong friends. Two visionaries. And two artists who pushed abstraction so far forward that the edges of the canvas simply couldn’t contain them.
Herrera gives us geometry sharpened to a blade’s edge. Polk Smith answers back by bending space itself — sweeping arcs, fearless color, and shapes that refuse to stay inside the lines. Together, their work feels electric.
Closer to home, The Lobby at Ellen Browning Building has shown Carmen Herrera’s work and specifically spotlighted Polk Smith’s explosive Constellation Black Arrow in the group exhibition, Between Two Points, adding Portland’s voice to the growing chorus around his legacy.
And don’t miss this: ⭐️ Polk Smith’s Native Cherokee heritage is a powerful thread woven through his practice. His family, both parents of Cherokee ancestry, lived on land that was once Indian Territory in Oklahoma — a place whose cultures, aesthetics, and histories profoundly shaped him. He often spoke about how those influences pulsed beneath the surface of his work, fueling the bold, boundary-breaking style we celebrate today.
Leon Polk Smith, Constellation Black Arrow, 1971
Mary Weatherford, purple lights, 2014, and Leon Polk Smith, Constellation Black Arrow, 1971
✨Holiday Art Raffle✨
This holiday season, we’re inviting families to celebrate creativity! Kids approach art with curiosity and joy, and The Lobby wants to showcase that energy.
Whether your child loves sketching animals, painting swirling galaxies, or building imaginary worlds from household materials, we’d love to see their creations.
To nurture this creative spark over winter break, The Lobby is hosting a Holiday Art Raffle! Share your child’s artwork via email or Instagram for a chance to win a Blick Art Materials gift card.
How to Enter:
Option 1 — Instagram:
Follow @thelobbyatellenbrowning
Post a photo of your child’s artwork.
Tag @thelobbyatellenbrowning
If your account is private, DM us a screenshot!
Comment on your kids’ favorite art material for an extra entry in the raffle!
Option 2 — Email:
Send a photo of your child’s artwork to sima@thelobbyatebb.com with the subject line Holiday Raffle Entry.
Request to join our mailing list via email for an extra entry in the raffle!
Note: Please share artwork only—no photos of children.
The winners will be announced on December 19th on The Lobby’s Instagram. Email submissions will be alerted via email.
Sima is the curator of The Lobby – https://ellenbrowningbuilding.com/the-lobby/