NANO GALLERY
The DC Arts Center Presents
Color Ensemble
April 10 - July 9, 2026
Wednesday - Sunday 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Opening Celebration
Friday, April 10, 2026
7:00 - 9:00 PM
Artist Talk
Saturday, May 16, 2026
3:00 - 4:00 PM
Curatorial Tour & Closing Reception
Thursday, July 9, 2026
6:00 - 7:00 PM
Taryn Harris
Untitled, 2018
Acrylic on board
7” x 8”
Curated by
Tyryn Goodson-Seck
Featured Artists
Kesha Bruce
Taryn Harris
Astrid Kohler
Karen La Du
Nolan Noble
Jenny Wu
Quick Links
About the Exhibition
Color Ensemble is a celebration of the intimate and the intentional, showcasing abstract works that prove intensity is not measured by physical size. Curator Tyryn Goodson-Seck treats the gallery as a visual garden, where individual artistic voices act as unique dialects in a broader conversation about color and form. This exhibition invites viewers to step closer and discover how the smallest gestures can evoke the most expansive human emotions.
The Big Feelings of Small Things
How much space does a profound emotion require? Color Ensemble challenges the contemporary inclination toward monumentalism by inviting viewers into a "visual garden" of concentrated abstraction. Curated by Tyryn Goodson-Seck, this exhibition brings together a diverse group of artists whose works prioritize the potency of intentionality, material friction, and the visceral power of color over sheer physical scale. By stripping away the distraction of the massive, the exhibition focuses the eye on the intricate textures and deep resonances found in the small and the deliberate.
A Visual Translation
Drawing inspiration from the curator’s upbringing in the international hub of Washington, D.C.—an environment defined by a multitude of spoken languages—Color Ensemble treats each artwork as a unique visual dialect. Just as a story shifts its emotional weight when translated into a different tongue, these small-scale works translate complex human experiences into intimate, material gestures. The show is an investigation into how we communicate across different "languages"—whether linguistic, historical, or visual.
The Artists
The exhibition features a rhythmic dialogue between raw textiles, sculptural paint, and historical over-painting. Viewers will encounter the "patchwork" narratives of Kesha Bruce, the layered latex architectures of Jenny Wu, and the reclaimed denim geographies of Nolan Noble. Alongside the playful birds of Astrid Kohler, the archival textile vessels of Karen La Du, and the intuitive abstractions of Taryn Harris, the gallery becomes a vibrant ecosystem where disparate voices form a singular, harmonious landscape.
In Color Ensemble, the audience is invited to lean in. It is a space for close-range observation that proves that the most modest bloom can define the character of an entire garden, and that the most profound resonance often lives within the most intimate spaces.
Kesha Bruce
Love Song #2, 2018
Mixed media fabric mounted on panel
6" x 7"
$975
April 10 - July 9, 2026
Wednesday - Sunday / 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM
NANO GALLERY / The DC Arts Center Presents
Color Ensemble
Curated by
Tyryn Goodson-Seck
Quick Links
Nolan Noble
Micro Hibiscus (#9), 2025
Acrylic on bleached denim harvested from jeans with denim remnants
8” x 8”
$325
Featured Artists
Kesha Bruce
Taryn Harris
Astrid Kohler
Karen La Du
Nolan Noble
Jenny Wu
Taryn Harris
Untitled, 2018
Acrylic on board
7” x 8”
Opening Celebration
Friday, April 10, 2026
7:00 - 9:00 PM
Artist Talk
Saturday, May 16, 2026
3:00 - 4:00 PM
Curatorial Tour & Closing Reception
Thursday, July 9, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
About the Exhibition
Color Ensemble is a celebration of the intimate and the intentional, showcasing abstract works that prove intensity is not measured by physical size. Curator Tyryn Goodson-Seck treats the gallery as a visual garden, where individual artistic voices act as unique dialects in a broader conversation about color and form. This exhibition invites viewers to step closer and discover how the smallest gestures can evoke the most expansive human emotions.
The Big Feelings of Small Things
How much space does a profound emotion require? Color Ensemble challenges the contemporary inclination toward monumentalism by inviting viewers into a "visual garden" of concentrated abstraction. Curated by Tyryn Goodson-Seck, this exhibition brings together a diverse group of artists whose works prioritize the potency of intentionality, material friction, and the visceral power of color over sheer physical scale. By stripping away the distraction of the massive, the exhibition focuses the eye on the intricate textures and deep resonances found in the small and the deliberate.
A Visual Translation
Drawing inspiration from the curator’s upbringing in the international hub of Washington, D.C.—an environment defined by a multitude of spoken languages—Color Ensemble treats each artwork as a unique visual dialect. Just as a story shifts its emotional weight when translated into a different tongue, these small-scale works translate complex human experiences into intimate, material gestures. The show is an investigation into how we communicate across different "languages"—whether linguistic, historical, or visual.
The Artists
The exhibition features a rhythmic dialogue between raw textiles, sculptural paint, and historical over-painting. Viewers will encounter the "patchwork" narratives of Kesha Bruce, the layered latex architectures of Jenny Wu, and the reclaimed denim geographies of Nolan Noble. Alongside the playful birds of Astrid Kohler, the archival textile vessels of Karen La Du, and the intuitive abstractions of Taryn Harris, the gallery becomes a vibrant ecosystem where disparate voices form a singular, harmonious landscape.
In Color Ensemble, the audience is invited to lean in. It is a space for close-range observation that proves that the most modest bloom can define the character of an entire garden, and that the most profound resonance often lives within the most intimate spaces.
April 10 – July 9, 2026
Wednesday - Sunday / 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM
NANO GALLERY / The DC Arts Center Presents
Color Ensemble
Curated by
Tyryn Goodson-Seck
Quick Links
Featured Artists
Kesha Bruce
Taryn Harris
Astrid Kohler
Karen La Du
Nolan Noble
Jenny Wu
Taryn Harris
Untitled, 2018
Acrylic on board
7” x 8”
About the Exhibition
Color Ensemble is a celebration of the intimate and the intentional, showcasing abstract works that prove intensity is not measured by physical size. Curator Tyryn Goodson-Seck treats the gallery as a visual garden, where individual artistic voices act as unique dialects in a broader conversation about color and form. This exhibition invites viewers to step closer and discover how the smallest gestures can evoke the most expansive human emotions.
The Big Feelings of Small Things
How much space does a profound emotion require? Color Ensemble challenges the contemporary inclination toward monumentalism by inviting viewers into a "visual garden" of concentrated abstraction. Curated by Tyryn Goodson-Seck, this exhibition brings together a diverse group of artists whose works prioritize the potency of intentionality, material friction, and the visceral power of color over sheer physical scale. By stripping away the distraction of the massive, the exhibition focuses the eye on the intricate textures and deep resonances found in the small and the deliberate.
A Visual Translation
Drawing inspiration from the curator’s upbringing in the international hub of Washington, D.C.—an environment defined by a multitude of spoken languages—Color Ensemble treats each artwork as a unique visual dialect. Just as a story shifts its emotional weight when translated into a different tongue, these small-scale works translate complex human experiences into intimate, material gestures. The show is an investigation into how we communicate across different "languages"—whether linguistic, historical, or visual.
The Artists
The exhibition features a rhythmic dialogue between raw textiles, sculptural paint, and historical over-painting. Viewers will encounter the "patchwork" narratives of Kesha Bruce, the layered latex architectures of Jenny Wu, and the reclaimed denim geographies of Nolan Noble. Alongside the playful birds of Astrid Kohler, the archival textile vessels of Karen La Du, and the intuitive abstractions of Taryn Harris, the gallery becomes a vibrant ecosystem where disparate voices form a singular, harmonious landscape.
In Color Ensemble, the audience is invited to lean in. It is a space for close-range observation that proves that the most modest bloom can define the character of an entire garden, and that the most profound resonance often lives within the most intimate spaces.
Opening Celebration
Friday, April 10, 2026
7:00 - 9:00 PM
Artist Talk
Saturday, May 16, 2026
3:00 - 4:00 PM
Curatorial Tour & Closing Reception
Thursday, July 9, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Taryn Harris
Untitled, 2018
Acrylic on board
7” x 8”
Grandeur is often mistakenly equated with physical scale—the sweeping canvas, the towering sculpture, or the immersive installation. However, Color Ensemble invites the viewer to lean in, suggesting that the most profound emotional resonance often lives within the small and the concentrated. This exhibition serves as a curated investigation into the potency of intimacy, arguing that intensity is not measured in square footage, but in the deliberate translation of experience into material.
My curatorial approach is deeply informed by an upbringing in the international hub of Washington, D.C., where I was immersed in a multitude of cultures and languages. Growing up in an environment where English was frequently a second or third language, I became fascinated by how stories shift and evolve when translated. I learned early on that a single sentiment, when whispered in a different dialect, carries a unique emotional weight. Color Ensemble is a visual translation of that experience. By strictly limiting the physical footprint of every work, the gallery is transformed into an ecosystem of visual "dialects"—a collective garden where each piece acts as a vital, concentrated bloom.
The power of this ensemble lies in its relational aesthetics and material friction. We witness the visceral, raw energy of Kesha Bruce’s textile collages as they sit in dialogue with the clinical, rhythmic precision of Jenny Wu’s layered latex "sculptural paintings." We observe Nolan Noble’s transformation of discarded denim into a geography of renewal, contrasting with the playful, historical over-paintings of Astrid Kohler. In the works of Karen La Du and Taryn Harris, we see how memory and intuition are trapped within small, intentional frames to trigger a subconscious response.
By stripping away the distraction of monumental scale, Color Ensemble highlights the potency of intentionality. These works prove that color and material are not merely decorative, but are vital forces capable of evoking "big feelings" from small, intimate gestures. Here, the gallery becomes a space for quiet, close-range observation, proving that a multitude of diverse artistic voices can create a singular, harmonious narrative—and that even the most modest gesture can define the character of the entire garden.
Tyryn Goodson-Seck
Curator, Color Ensemble
Kesha Bruce
Love Song #2, 2018
Mixed media fabric mounted on panel
6” x 7”
$975
From
The Curator
From the
Curator
Grandeur is often mistakenly equated with physical scale—the sweeping canvas, the towering sculpture, or the immersive installation. However, Color Ensemble invites the viewer to lean in, suggesting that the most profound emotional resonance often lives within the small and the concentrated. This exhibition serves as a curated investigation into the potency of intimacy, arguing that intensity is not measured in square footage, but in the deliberate translation of experience into material.
My curatorial approach is deeply informed by an upbringing in the international hub of Washington, D.C., where I was immersed in a multitude of cultures and languages. Growing up in an environment where English was frequently a second or third language, I became fascinated by how stories shift and evolve when translated. I learned early on that a single sentiment, when whispered in a different dialect, carries a unique emotional weight. Color Ensemble is a visual translation of that experience. By strictly limiting the physical footprint of every work, the gallery is transformed into an ecosystem of visual "dialects"—a collective garden where each piece acts as a vital, concentrated bloom.
The power of this ensemble lies in its relational aesthetics and material friction. We witness the visceral, raw energy of Kesha Bruce’s textile collages as they sit in dialogue with the clinical, rhythmic precision of Jenny Wu’s layered latex "sculptural paintings." We observe Nolan Noble’s transformation of discarded denim into a geography of renewal, contrasting with the playful, historical over-paintings of Astrid Kohler. In the works of Karen La Du and Taryn Harris, we see how memory and intuition are trapped within small, intentional frames to trigger a subconscious response.
By stripping away the distraction of monumental scale, Color Ensemble highlights the potency of intentionality. These works prove that color and material are not merely decorative, but are vital forces capable of evoking "big feelings" from small, intimate gestures. Here, the gallery becomes a space for quiet, close-range observation, proving that a multitude of diverse artistic voices can create a singular, harmonious narrative—and that even the most modest gesture can define the character of the entire garden.
Tyryn Goodson-Seck
Co-Curator, Color Ensemble
Astrid Kohler
Ladybug on Olive Green, 2025
Oil on panel
1.5" x 1.5"
$350
Artist
Biographies
Artist
Kesha Bruce
-
Kesha Bruce completed a BFA from the University of Iowa before earning an MFA in painting from Hunter College in New York City. She has been awarded fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA), the Vermont Studio Center, and the Puffin Foundation. Her work is included in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (14 pieces), as well as the Amistad Center for Art and Culture and MOMA's Franklin Furnace Artist Book Collection. She has been represented by Morton Fine Art since 2011.
Artist
Taryn Harris
-
Taryn is a painter, muralist, and singer working in Prince George's County and Washington, D.C. Since studying art, chemistry, and poetry at the University of Maryland, she has explored abstraction through her studio practice, assistantships with local artists, and work as a museum docent and preparator. Citing the improvisational tradition of jazz, language poetry, and meditation as influential ideologies, her work often forgoes image in favor of visceral interactions between colors, shapes, and textures.
Artist
Astrid Kohler
-
German painter Astrid Kohler combines old and new to create tension and fresh creative inspiration. Her work often utilizes 19th-century German portraits or pastoral backgrounds, over-painted with imaginative, playful imagery. Kohler seeks new ways of arranging space, blending realist technical ability with fluid, gestural lines. She has been represented by Morton Fine Art since 2017.
Artist
Karen La Du
-
Across all media, color, pattern, scale, and perception drive Karen La Du's artistic process. Working with textiles has been a lifelong pursuit, whether designing wearable pieces, creating fabric patterns, or using existing fabric to tell a story. Her narrative is drawn from memories; it is deeply personal yet relatable in the commonality of its subject matter. La Du was educated at the University of Miami, FL (BA/BFA) and Kean University, NJ (MFA, Ed). After a successful career in visual merchandising with May Company, she has taught and advocated for the fine arts for over 30 years in venues including museums, schools, and private practice. She has exhibited throughout the East Coast and has work in private collections nationally and internationally. La Du relocated to Washington, D.C. in 2019, where she continues to observe, create, and teach.
Artist
Nolan Noble
-
Nolan Noble is an Arlington, Virginia–based artist who works primarily with reclaimed denim. His practice transforms familiar, worn material into painted abstractions that bridge the everyday and the elemental. Through bleaching, cutting, and piecing, Nolan reimagines jeans as layered compositions that evoke emotion, natural landscapes, growth, and renewal. Most recently, his work took Second Prize at Ceremony at the Arlington Artists Alliance Gallery. He is an active member of the Arlington Artists Alliance, The Art League, and The DC Arts Center (DCAC).
Artist
Jenny Wu
-
Jenny Wu is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Fine Arts at Trinity College in Hartford, CT, and the president of Touchstone Foundation for the Arts in Washington, D.C. Born in Nanjing, China, Wu holds a B.A. from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and an M.F.A. in Studio Art from American University. Her works are in the permanent collections of the Flamboyan Foundation, University of Maryland College Park, and the DC Art Bank. She has participated in numerous Artist-In-Residence programs and has been awarded fellowships from the Vermont Studio Center and the Pollock-Krasner Foundation. She has been represented by Morton Fine Art since 2021.
Curator
Biography
Curator
Tyryn Goodson-Seck
-
Tyryn Goodson-Seck is a curator, art historian, and nonprofit leader based in the Baltimore-Washington corridor. Holding a degree in Fine Arts and Art History from Marymount University, Goodson-Seck currently serves as the Chair of Development for Gallery Reimagined, where he bridges the gap between high-caliber artistic excellence and community accessibility.
His curatorial practice is deeply informed by an upbringing in the international hub of Washington, D.C., where he was immersed in a multitude of languages and cultures. This early exposure to diverse modes of communication sparked a lifelong fascination with how stories shift and evolve when translated across different "languages"—whether linguistic, historical, or visual.
Goodson-Seck views curation as an act of visual storytelling. By leaning into his background in art history and his experience working alongside artists through the evolution of their practices, he identifies works that trigger subconscious emotional responses through material use and historical context. His vision for Color Ensemble reflects a global citizen’s perspective: a belief that universal "big feelings" are often best communicated through the intimate, the intentional, and the small.
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2438 18th St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
We’re located on the second floor of the building on 18th St. NW above Mola Empanada and Shiva Tobacco. We’re next to Code Red and located across the street from Tryst and Grand Central. We’re the center door on the ground floor. Our closest two intersections are 18th St. and Columbia Rd. NW, or 18th St. and Belmont Rd. NW.
Street parking is notoriously limited. Colonial Parking, a private paid garage, is located on 18th St. NW behind Van Leeuwen Ice Cream.
Nearest Metro Station
Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan (Red Line)
Dupont Circle (Red Line)
Columbia Heights (Green/Yellow Line)
Metrobus Routes
Bus Stops at 18th St. & Columbia Rd. NW
C51, C53, D72, D74