Hands That Nurture by Shawndel N. Fraser

The Downtown Artist Cellar (DAC) in Malone, New York is pleased to present Hands That Nurture: Perceptions of Masculine Devotion, an interdisciplinary exhibition and residency by artist, environmental psychologist, and field researcher Shawndel N. Fraser.

Developed through long-term engagement with tradesmen and craftsmen across the Adirondack and North Country regions, the exhibition brings together hand-cast sculptures and documentary-style photographic studies exploring how men express devotion, tenderness, responsibility, and care through skilled labor and everyday action.

Fraser, a Black woman from New York City living between the city and the High Peaks of the Adirondacks, works through an interdisciplinary practice grounded in environmental psychology, field research, sustained observation, and relationship-building. Her work examines how attention, patience, nurturing, and devotion become visible through consistent acts of labor and care rather than through stereotype or performance.

Farms, workshops, job sites, garages, and spaces of ordinary life become sites of artistic inquiry. The resulting photographs function less as formal portraiture and more as visual field studies – documenting tradesmen and craftsmen in moments where gesture, posture, atmosphere, and embodied knowledge reveal forms of care and meaning that often go unseen.

At the center of the project is a relationship that, by American cultural standards, remains quietly extraordinary: a Black female artist building trust and sustained connection with white rural tradesmen and craftsmen. The project challenges assumptions held by both communities about who sees, values, and cares about whom – and why.

To date, Fraser has sculpted fourteen tradesmen as part of the ongoing series, with additional works continuing to evolve through new encounters and field experiences. During her residency in Malone, Fraser hopes to connect with local tradesmen and craftsmen interested in contributing to the project through conversation, observation sessions, and, in some cases, sculptural hand studies.

Fraser’s recent regional engagements include artist residencies and public programs with Craigardan in Elizabethtown, NY, where she was a two-time Artist-in-Residence and was recently elected to the Board of Directors. She has facilitated and curated programs with John Brown Lives!, presented artist talks and lectures at SUNY Plattsburgh and CUNY John Jay College, and led workshops at North Country Community College in Saranac Lake.

She was also featured on WXXI Rochester in the panel discussion Are the Boys Ok? and participated in the Adirondack Center for Writing plenary discussion Are the Boys Okay: Growing Up White, Rural, and Male.
Following the event, Fraser contributed commentary to the Adirondack Explorer and recently participated in the Adirondack Builders Conference.

Hands That Nurture invites both traditional gallery audiences and trades communities into the same space. Fraser hopes local builders, makers, craftsmen, and tradesmen will experience work emerging from careful observation, enduring relationships, and artistic interpretation rooted in respect and reciprocity.

Fraser will be in residence at Downtown Artist Cellar from May 24-June 27, 2026, with additional studio hours and public engagement opportunities announced throughout the residency.

Public Programs
Opening Reception and Artist Talks
Saturday, June 6 | 2:00-4:00 PM
Sunday, June 7 | 2:00-4:00 PM

Tradesmen’s Evening Gathering (Tradesman Only)
Wednesday, June 17 | 6:00-8:00 PM

Malone Reflections & Closing Reception and Artist Talk
Friday, June 25 | 6:00-8:00 PM

The Tradesmen’s Evening Gathering offers an additional opportunity for local tradesmen and craftsmen – particularly those working early hours or weekends – to visit the exhibition, connect informally with the artist and one another, and engage with the project in a welcoming environment inspired by the spirit of traditional trade guilds and shared craftsmanship.

The June 25 closing reception will celebrate new photographs and sculptures created during the residency and feature Fraser’s reflections on masculine devotion as witnessed through the hands and labor of Malone tradesmen.

This residency and exhibition are supported by The Thrive Project and Downtown Artist Cellar. DAC is a year-round destination for discovering artwork, engaging with artists, and participating in a creative community rooted in the belief that art creates community. The Thrive Project is the nonprofit partner of the Downtown Artist Cellar.

Support for this exhibition is also provided in part by the Generous Acts Fund through the Adirondack Community Foundation, which connects people, ideas, and resources to improve lives and expand opportunities throughout the Adirondack region.

For more information about the artist and the ongoing project, visit:
artfultranscendence.com

Tradesmen and craftsmen interested in participating in the ongoing project may learn more at:
artfultranscendence.com/craftsmen