NORTH SHORE MUSIC THEATRE General Manager Karen Nascembeni (left) and Gloucester artist Amy Kerr proudly display a portrait of Nascembeni featured in the “I Am More” exhibit at the Massachusetts State House last month. The exhibit is currently on display at the Northshore Mall through Saturday, Feb. 25. (Courtesy Photo)

 

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — Local resident Karen Nascembeni is helping raise awareness about overcoming life’s challenges and obstacles so others can do the same.

Gloucester artist Amy Kerr has launched a traveling art exhibit called “I Am More.” As part of the exhibit, Kerr painted portraits of 25 individuals accompanied by essays written by the subjects. The Massachusetts residents featured in Kerr’s portraits range between the ages of 18 and 87.

Kerr selected Nascembeni, who is North Shore Music Theatre’s general manager, because she survived a horrific battle with COVID-19 three years ago. Nascembeni also lost her husband, Steven Richard, and her father-in-law Earl to the virus in March 2020.

The artist recalled that her friendship with Nascembeni began before the pandemic.

“I first met Karen when she agreed to host an ‘I Am More’ exhibit in the busy lobby of North Shore Music Theatre,” Kerr wrote on her website. “She is open and easy with her generosity, and warmly welcomed us.”

While Kerr initially thought displaying the “I Am More” exhibit at North Shore Music Theatre would be “the end of our connection,” she followed Nascembeni’s journey as she recovered from COVID-19. Kerr decided to honor Nascembeni by giving her a portrait of Steven in January 2021.

“I did the only thing an artist can do, and later handed her a surprise drawing of her late husband, Steven, to help her heal,” said Kerr.

Nascembeni was incredibly touched after receiving the portrait.

“Amy called me and said that she had something for me,” said Nascembeni. “We met in the middle of a snow squall on the waterfront in Gloucester, where she handed me a rolled up item in a white plastic bag. She told me to open it when I got home. It was the most exquisite portrait of Steven that she had drawn as a gift for me.”

Kerr approached Nascembeni about being featured in the art exhibit last year.

“It dawned on me that Karen was an obvious ‘I Am More’ portrait subject,” said Kerr. “She kindly agreed to participate.”

While Nascembeni said it was an “incredible honor” to be asked to participate in the exhibit, she had reservations about getting involved with it.

“Amy came to the theater to discuss the project with me,” said Nascembeni. “She let me run on and on about my fears and intimidations about the project. When I finally stopped speaking, she said to me, ‘Karen, when I think about you, I think about you surrounded by people in a lively party setting, wearing sparkly jewelry and bedazzled clothing while holding court among the people in your presence.’ We walked away from the meeting agreeing that I would think about it. A few weeks later, it came to me. I invited a number of my friends, my family and Steven’s family to come to a show on opening night. Just before curtain, I ushered them all into one big section and stood with my back to the stage looking at these beautiful people that represented every aspect of my life. Amy’s husband, Iain, photographed the moment in the hopes of getting ‘the shot’ Amy was looking for. A few days later, Amy left me an exuberant message stating, ‘Iain got the shot.’ That shot captured a moment where I was filled with gratitude and love for all of the people I was looking out at.”

Nascembeni also wrote the essay that accompanies her portrait.

“I am a widow, a survivor, a warrior,” Nascembeni wrote. “But I am more than that. I am a woman full of gratitude for all I’ve been blessed with. I am a woman who loves people and their stories, their imperfections and their vulnerabilities. I am a woman who continues to smile and laugh and live each day to the fullest with tremendous passion. It would be a disrespect to the health care workers and my family and friends who worked so hard to save me, physically and emotionally to do otherwise. I honor my beloved husband Steven’s memory every day, fully present, doing charitable work and extending kindness in his name. My story is heartbreaking, but hopeful. Despite everything I’ve been through, I continue to be blessed with love by all who surround me. Tomorrow is promised to no one. Live every day like it’s your last.”

Nascembeni and the “I Am More” exhibit were featured at the Massachusetts State House last month. She recalled that her close friend, State Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), sponsored the State House exhibit.

“I opened up the program with a little bit of background about how my participation in the exhibit came to be, and then turned the discussion over to State Sen. Bruce Tarr, who sponsored the exhibit,” Nascembeni recalled. “What I wasn’t prepared for was to have Sen. Tarr, Sen. Joan Lovely, Rep. Jerry Parisella, House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones Jr. and North Shore Music Theatre owner Bill Hanney tell the most heartwarming stories about how they met me and Steven, the impact of my work in the community and more. It was one of those incredible moments where you felt like you were given the gift of hearing the eulogy of your own funeral. I was incredibly humbled and moved by their eloquent, kind words. When I closed the program, I said, ‘I am in awe of the love I feel in this room today.’ It was pretty special for everyone in attendance.”

Nascembeni also served as the master of ceremonies when the opening reception for the “I Am More” exhibit was held at the Northshore Mall in Peabody on Feb. 2.

“Northshore Mall General Manager Mark Whiting and Simon Property Group Area Director of Marketing Lauren Dalis both gave emotional speeches about their passion and appreciation for the exhibit,” said Nascembeni. “The other portrait subject originally from Lynnfield is Erin Davis, whose story about living with alopecia is featured in the exhibit. This is the third time the Northshore Mall has hosted the exhibit, which runs through Feb. 25. Guests also heard from Amy, who introduced Chris Sadkowski of NAMI Beverly and NAMI Cape Ann President Dori Prescott.”

In addition to Nascembeni and Davis, the remaining “I Am More” subjects include a Holocaust survivor, a combat veteran and people who have faced a variety of challenges such as brain cancer, depression, hearing loss, opioid addiction and more. The exhibit also includes mental health resources.

“Amy Kerr’s ‘I Am More’ project is combining art and personal storytelling in a unique and powerful way to bring the issues of mental health awareness out of the shadows and into public spaces to engage communities and start conversations,” said Police Assisted Addiction Recovery Initiative (PAARI) founder John Rosenthal in a statement.

Nascembeni was blown away by the bravery displayed by the remaining 24 subjects featured in the “I Am More” exhibit.

“The people who are participating in the ‘I Am More’ exhibit are very brave in telling their stories, and putting themselves out there in a very public fashion so that other people who perhaps are going through the same struggles will benefit from their vulnerability, authenticity and wisdom,” said Nascembeni. “I hope that this exhibit will inspire even more people to come out of the shadows and darkness to live their truth, and release the sadness and demons that haunt them, and ultimately inspire others to do the same.”