Description
The Delaware Division of the Arts’ Mezzanine Gallery is pleased to present The Garden, a solo exhibition of new work by 2025 Individual Artist Fellow in Folk Arts, Renita Coursey. The exhibition will be on view from December 5–26, 2025, with an opening reception on Friday, December 5, from 5:00–7:00 p.m. in the Mezzanine Gallery, located in the Carvel State Office Building at 820 N. French Street in Wilmington.
The Garden brings together a deeply personal body of work rooted in Coursey’s Nanticoke heritage, her practice as a beadwork and regalia artist, and her ongoing commitment to preserving and reimagining the ancestral traditions of her family and tribal community. The exhibition reflects Coursey’s exploration of identity, belonging, and generational connection through meticulous craft and intentional creation.
A true native Delawarean, Coursey grew up on Nanticoke land in Millsboro, surrounded by her family, her tribe, and the cultural traditions that continue to shape her artistic voice. After moving to Virginia at age eleven and later serving four years in the U.S. Navy as a Hospital Corpsman—ultimately stationed in Hawaii—she felt called to return to her home state to reconnect with her native roots. Now based in Wilmington, she has spent the past several years immersing herself in beadwork, ribbon skirt making, sewing, and other traditional forms.
Coursey’s practice is grounded in discipline, care, and cultural stewardship. She taught herself beadwork during late nights and early mornings while her infant son slept, developing a creative routine that honored both her responsibilities as a parent and her desire to deepen her artistry. She later studied ribbon skirt making with tribal elders in her hometown, finding connection to her grandmother, a seamstress she never met, through the act of creating garments that uphold cultural memory.
Her work blends traditional techniques with contemporary influences—from powwow regalia to modern streetwear—and is inspired by the broader community of Native artists who have shaped and elevated the field. Coursey is also guided by the values of patience, intention, and care embedded in her craft. Beadwork, she notes, is time-intensive and often requires long periods of delayed gratification. Yet the joy of seeing someone connect with one of her pieces—and the practice of praying for the wellbeing of the future wearer as she creates—imbues her work with emotional and spiritual depth.
Beyond beadwork, Coursey continues to expand her artistic repertoire through powwow dancing, regalia making, sewing, and mixed-media collage—all while balancing her professional role in emergency veterinary medicine. Her 2025 Individual Artist Fellowship supports further development of her practice, including the creation of new regalia, moccasins, and expanded work for future powwows.
The Garden invites visitors into the evolving landscape of Coursey’s artistic journey—a space where tradition and innovation grow side by side, nurtured by culture, community, and an enduring sense of gratitude.
The Mezzanine Gallery is open to the public Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.