Samuel Penaloza's solo exhibit, Black Sheep, invites viewers to look inward and consider the darkness of the human experience. In this body of work, Penaloza explores his own inner turmoil and how he has leveraged his art as an outlet to find light and beauty, even in the darkest of places.

Penaloza's artistic journey began as a junior in high school. Once his teacher introduced him to painting, this sparked inspiration and a passion for his future career. For the past 10 years, with the support of his community, he has sought out connections and found opportunities to showcase his artwork around the city. He also shares his talents by teaching art to middle school students. His typical medium is acrylic on canvas; however, he has contributed several mural projects throughout Indianapolis as well.

The title of this exhibit reflects the loneliness and isolation that occur when one feels like an outsider within one's community, an experience that is all too familiar to Penaloza. He explains, "As one of the few dark artists in my city, I create an experience that confronts uncomfortable truths and emphasizes that darkness is an essential aspect of life."

A number of paintings in this project include a common underlying image of eyes – some say, the windows to the soul. Whether floating as individual eyeballs, on the profile of a wolf, or a picture of a skull in place of an eye, the viewers are able to reflect on their own human and personal connections to each of the paintings. Whether they interpret these images as a reflection of protection or watchfulness, Penaloza says, "I encourage the viewers to engage with their fears, leading to a deeper understanding of themselves."

Black Sheep includes 16 acrylic paintings and will be on display in the Underground Gallery throughout September.