Local artist Minnu Paul will debut a new show, “Emotional Visibility Project,” at the Burgwin-Wright House and Gardens in Wilmington beginning July 22 through Aug. 20.

An opening reception is set for 6-9 p.m. Friday, July 22, part of the Wilmington Arts Council’s Fourth Friday Gallery Nights in downtown Wilmington.

“Emotional Visibility Project” exhibition

In her life, Minnu Paul discovered that validation and belonging started with the Self, something she began to mine with her artwork, which is primarily made with pen.

“With ink and patience, I draw,” she said. “My art expresses more eloquently than my words as my paradigm shifts and my value system builds. Intentionally and unintentionally, I make decisions based on fear, shame and guilt. Moreover, I exhibit behaviors rooted in the need for love, acceptance, worth and security. These skills may have produced successful outcomes when I was younger but as I grow, these behaviors do not give me inner peace.”

Paul said her new show helped her through the transition to an evolved self. In lieu of naming her pieces, which she said are in the eye of the beholder, she encourages guests to name them during July 22’s opening gala and when visiting the exhibition through Aug. 20.

The new show is part of Burgwin-Wright’s mission to showcase local artists and their work in its art gallery space on the ground floor of the house museum. The art gallery space is free and open for the public to explore from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. A percentage of proceeds from the sale of the artwork benefits the ongoing preservation of the 1770 Burgwin-Wright House and its operation as a museum.

Burgwin-Wright House and Gardens is located at 224 Market Street in downtown Wilmington. Built in 1770 on the city’s first jail, circa 1744, it is the only Colonial-era structure in Wilmington open to the public. The museum is owned and operated by The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of North Carolina, which saved the house from the wrecking ball in 1937.

Guided tours of the house and jail are available Monday through Saturday. For more information, visit www.burgwinwrighthouse.com