Bernard Conda: A Day in the Life

Bernard Tan Conda (August 3, 1964–May 8, 2023) was bold, brilliant, and uncompromising in his dedication to his art. He was an accomplished artist, instructor, and mentor as a central figure in the Tidewater artistic community.

Conda discovered joy in sharing his love of the arts through teaching. This exhibition features works of art from throughout his career as well as paintings by peers and students. As the coordinator for the Norfolk Drawing Group from 2004 through 2015, he helped provide local artists a place to gather. During regular drawing sessions, he inspired artists to hone their skills while also challenging them to break through boundaries. He was an art instructor for nearly 20 years at the Titustown Visual Arts Center in Norfolk. Due to his love of artmaking paired with a one-of-a-kind sense of humor, he became the lead artist teaching the Traveling Artist program, visiting Norfolk neighborhood recreation centers and introducing children to art history through the act of painting.

Another facet of Conda’s community impact is through painting en plein air, which happens outdoors and is completed in one session from direct observation. Continuously fascinated by our local community and often joined by artist friends, Conda painted en plein air throughout Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Smithfield, Suffolk, and beyond. When Conda talked about and shared his love of art, he was animated, mesmerizing, and absolutely inspiring.

“The wake of buttery paint a full brush stroke leaves. The smells of using oil. The kinesthetics of making a mark. Squeezing out and gazing upon amorphous heaps of pigments on a wooden palette.” —Bernard Conda

Exhibition organized by Shara Wertz, Devon Lawrence, Doug Clarke, and Leigh Babcock