Review: ‘Overflow’ explores abundance and possibility at CBrooks Gallery

Robust laughter, warm conversation and the musically sultry sounds of neo soul and Afro house spun by Salah Ananse set a welcoming tone at the opening of Overflow on November 1. The group exhibition, which features a stunning array of works by some of Atlanta’s most notable Black artists working today, was curated by CBrooks Gallery founder Courtney Brooks. 

Hosted at The Upton, a newly constructed apartment complex on the city’s east side near Grant Park, the venue itself embodies partnership and creativity. Brooks was even commissioned to paint one of her pieces in the property’s resident pool, serving as a testament to her artistic vision and local impact. 

As a theme, Overflow demonstrates the innumerable possibilities of physical art through a variety of mediums including woodburning, watercolor, color blocking, textured canvas paintings, tufting, 3-dimensional pieces, lighting, recycled structures, floating textiles and more. 

“As an intuitive curator, any show that I create houses the concept of something that I’m personally going through and know others are as well,” Brooks said of her vision for the exhibition. “Being able to curate a show that signifies what abundance means is important because I’ve been feeling so blessed all year and want to showcase what that also looks like for other artists.”

This curatorial direction challenges artists to explore the possibilities that come from embracing an overflow of both material and emotion. Brooks hopes that visitors experience joy, determination and alignment through the carefully curated selection of mediums and varied techniques.  

Brooks experienced a few firsts with this show, such as the delicate suspension of a work hanging from the ceiling. The installation, Soft Net, by mixed-media fiber artist Amanda Banks, colorfully and softly cascades tantalizingly beyond the reach of visitors below.  

Each piece selected for this exhibition speaks to themes of abundance, overflow and intention. The artists speak through careful application of color, dimension and texture. The resulting exhibition provides excitement around every corner and satisfaction for the sensory ultra. From the first step inside, one finds a sprightly sublime acrylic and collage piece titled For All My Brothers, Lost and Found by Jamaal Barber.

Nearby, a floating 3-dimensional work, The Inundation by Lord Yatta Arte, shows water pouring from a woven basket that is adorned with cowrie shells and set against a beautifully contrasting fiery background. The piece emanates the richness of Afrofuturism and ancestral protection. George F. Baker III, a fellow artist who attended the opening night, shared that the reason he was drawn to it was because of the way the artist illustrated the water. 

Though Arte’s creation could function as a 2-dimensional piece, it works incredibly well as a 3-dimensional sculpture. “It feels like a wellspring of joy, and I feel like it really sets the stage for what a lot of the work in the show is, which is beautifully expressive and emotional,” said Baker. “I instantly could feel the joy that everyone had. Everyone was dressed incredibly well, and I really enjoyed gathering around Courtney. One of her superpowers as a curator and artist is really knowing how to bring the community in.” 

Artists in Overflow illuminate free will of creation amid doubt; vulnerability and antipathy of both worldly and personal circumstances. Reginald Laurent counters these adversarial forces by working on multiple pieces at once, thus exercising the abundance of possibility. Laurent revealed that his battle is often an overflow of ideas, and he sometimes finds himself daunted by the task of finishing all of the pieces he imagines. His pieces employ clever lighting elements embedded within 3-dimensional urban and nature landscape, drawing inspiration from his upbringing in Chicago. Describing his art as “soul food,” he shares it with creatively-curious youths around the world, including children on the spectrum. 

Printmaker Jasmin Warnock suggested that artists might use new mediums to inform the adaptation of a newfound abundance and creative overflow. Her work Crossgates: The Room My Dad Built is a woodcut and printed piece that evokes childlike wonder and playfulness nestled among dark memories. Her signature style relies on layering of color and storytelling, creating a sense of cohesion throughout her works. 

Meanwhile, multidisciplinary artist and father EuGene V. Byrd III channels vulnerability through vivid, narrative watercolor works. His piece Midwest Princess draws inspiration from his own child who identifies as nonbinary and is now in college. Grappling with the passage of time and the bittersweet nature of parenthood, Byrd portrays them as a child in a tender act of preservation and longing. “I was feeling overflown, almost like I had nothing left and had given away a lot of myself,” he shared. “I needed to navigate that.” Byrd’s creative process is rooted in family, home and emotional reflection, transforming personal sentiment into a universal storytelling.

Beyond curating the exhibition, Brooks also included one of her own diptychs titled Remember. The piece highlights the words “Remember” and “Fight” on one panel, while the other displays quotes from abolitionist and activist Sojourner Truth. Embellished in black and gold, the left panel features a young Black girl with an impressionable gaze fixed upon figures of divine ascendancy. 

Evocative exhibitions such as Overflow serve as proof that Atlanta remains a front-runner in innovation and creative opportunity that nourishes independent galleries such as CBrooks Gallery. Brooks herself embodies a collaborative spirit that draws the community together over the shared love of art, making for dynamic, colorful and life-giving exhibitions celebrating Black artists.

Reflecting on her journey, Brooks encourages artists to be resilient and embrace the abundance of creativity regardless of what may be going on in the world around them. “I may not look like what I’ve been through, but, as long as I push forward, good things will happen,” asserted Brooks, who will soon debut a solo show of her own works on December 12. “The show ends in January, so let’s overflow into the new year.” 

Overflow will remain on view at CBrooks Gallery through January 10, 2026.

Editor’s note: the author’s partner, George F. Baker III, is quoted in this article.

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Brittany Mackins is an Atlanta-based writer and creative with a deep love for the intersections of art, healing and community. Blending her background in journalism, brand storytelling, creative writing and event production, she writes to honor the stories behind the art, the lived experiences, emotions and cultural roots that shape creative expression. Her lens centers diverse artistry in all its expansive forms.