Bridge Work: Family // History

Arts + Literature Laboratory presents Family // History, a show by Charlotte Easterling, one of three concurrent solo exhibitions from its prestigious Bridge Work: Madison cohort. This show will run from Thursday, November 19, 2026, through Saturday, January 9, 2027 alongside The Sound That Only I Can Hear by Maile Lloyd and Processing Powers by Adam Raiford Wilson. There will be an opening reception on Friday, December 4.

Family // History explores how family lore and history combine to produce transcendent effects that pass through the generations. Charlotte Easterling herself is of Lakota and Ojibwe ancestry, along with European forebears. Her art reflects these influences by telling stories about both her Indigenous and European heritage. Her work also examines our country's complicated past and the ways it's intimately tied to her personal story. Before this exhibition, Charlotte focused on digital art, using her graphic design background as a foundation. With Family // History, she expands into textiles, collage, and installation, alongside large-scale digital work.

Family // History is supported by grants from Dane Arts and the Madison Arts Commission.

Charlotte Easterling is an artist, illustrator, and graphic designer. She’s an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Charlotte grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota, next to the Black Hills (Paha Sapa). The Hills were a constant presence throughout Charlotte’s childhood, and memories of stargazing, exploring, and encountering wildlife inform her work. Charlotte studied at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles and at the University of Texas – Austin. Her work is in permanent collections at Nicolet College and the City of Madison.

Bridge Work is Madison’s premiere emerging artist program, hosted by Arts + Literature Laboratory (ALL) since 2017. Bridge Work: Madison is a part of the greater Bridge Work initiative, founded by Jason S. Yi and Leah Kolb, with independent programs in Milwaukee, WI and Lexington, KY. This program selects a group of promising emerging artists from a pool of applicants to benefit from two years of professional development opportunities, culminating in solo exhibitions. Bridge Work aims to forge a more interconnected regional arts ecosystem by uplifting diverse artists who are dedicated to their practices, generating the public exposure necessary for them to successfully network and establish a larger professional presence.

Image: The Return, Digital Illustration, 2026