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A GALLERY EXHIBIT ROOTED IN HOPE
JULY 17TH-19TH
Seeds of hope can be found in all seasons; all they ask of us is a watchful eye
Hope In The Margins is an interactive exhibition exploring the seeds of hope that carry us from garden to garden, found often in mundanity, repetition and patience. The insistent joys that reach out to us from within the margins we have called lifeless or unimportant remind us again and again of the hope that can spring up in unlikely places.Through the collected works of local artists, experience the seeds of hope “in the margins” that remind us of our humanity & facilitate shared community experiences. Seeds of hope can be found in all seasons; all they ask of us is a watchful eye.
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Meet The Hosts
Aubrey Gray
Aubrey Gray is a fantasy artist currently based in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Her love for art began in childhood, watching her great-grandmother paint with oils. Though self-taught, she studied web and graphic design, music production, marketing, and business management at Musician's Institute in Hollywood CA. Inspired by the mysticism of Druidism, she creates whimsical, vibrant waterscapes that blend fantasy with creative realism. Her work is defined by Bob Ross-esque aesthetics, custom hand-textured boards, and fluid water movement. She has been published in British Vogue and World of Interiors Magazine three times each, as well as the Women Artist Award 2026 - 6th Edition by Arts to Hearts Project. She has also been featured in CanvasRebel Magazine, and has displayed work at Pancakes and Booze in Washington DC. She was also the host of The Art of Community Exhibition in Jacksonville, NC. Collaborating with local authors, an indie bookshop, and other local makers, she explores themes of life, death, mythology and parallel worlds: creating with vulnerability so others may see themselves in her work.
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Ella Zona Bryant
Ella Zona Bryant is a Design Studio Owner & Artist based in Wilmington, North Carolina. Ella holds a BFA from New York University's Studio Art program, where she studied under prolific contemporary artists and minored in the Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology through the Stern School of Business. During her tenure at NYU, Ella completed an internship with Lumos Creative Agency & was promoted to Lead VA at Boho Branding Co. Ella Graduated from NYU in 2022 as Founders Award recipient before turning her attention to her design studio, Zona Creative Solutions, where she has worked with clients featured in Forbes, Good Morning America, and Oprah. Her design and studio work explores theology, wellness, womanhood, maternity, and Christian mysticism through surreal portraitrue and fine art informed design. She has been featured in CanvasRebel and Art + Type Magazine, co organized the Alchemy + Ornament exhibit at NYU's Rosenberg Gallery, was featured in the Aubrey Gray Art of Community Exhibition in Jacksonville, North Carolina, received honors of in Meta Gallery's Visions of Self Expression, and has shown work in Washington DC with both Inkwell and Pancakes and Booze. Ella recently completed a 6 month Young Storytellers Fellowship with Christianity Today and is now building a curatorial and conversational branch of her creative studio. She loves fitness, cooking, Harry Potter & nerding out about wellness and theology.
Tara Peterson
Tara Peterson is a self taught artist based in Jacksonville, NC and owner of Detourthirty9 LLC, established in 2023 after transitioning from a 14-year career in the North Carolina Public School System. She enjoys collaborating with other small businesses and fellow creatives, bringing ideas to life through window painting, commissioned artwork, workshops, and community-centered events.
In addition to her artistic work, Tara serves as a contributing columnist for the Jacksonville Society Magazine, offering insight into creativity, entrepreneurship, and community connection. Her background in education and literacy advocacy continues to influence her passion for storytelling and meaningful artistic expression.
Her designs are known for their bold and bright palettes with a touch of whimsy. Tara’s work draws inspiration from everyday life and the vulnerability of the human experience. Her work has been featured in the Aubrey Gray Art of Community Exhibition, Jacksonville Society Magazine, Voyage Raleigh Magazine, and on the storefronts throughout downtown Jacksonville, NC.