Art and radical joy
Plus updates from my collage studio.
Art is many things for many people; one cornerstone of my practice centers on joy, and the radical power of choosing to be happy in a hard world. So I’ll tell you a bit of a story about how that manifests, for real.
The past decade has been a tumultuous one for me, marked by losses big and small. I am often sad on my birthday, because a long time ago something very bad happened on it. I still get queasy when I think of it and the way it’s hung over me, colored my sense of self.
But the past is the past, and I’m working on letting go. Finding ways to make peace with what cannot be changed, and live a beautiful, full life even if it looks different from what I imagined.
Earlier in the year—while planning my daughter’s birthday—it occurred to me that pinatas are fun, and they can be filled with anything. Which is how I found myself, in the run-up to turning 40, crafting several of them filled with ephemera.
Willing & Able closed this weekend, but we were kindly allowed to host a bash in the Sator Projects gallery space. I put word out to Portland’s paper people, and we gathered to joyously smash the pinatas, then make art with the ephemera that rained down on us.
I’m not sure if I’ve had more fun in years. It was zany, and maybe a bit unhinged. It was people of all ages and abilities, delighting in our shared love and putting good vibes out into the world. It was laughter and snow angels in the fallen scraps. It was everything I needed, and I hardly realized until the papier-mache burst and unloosed the stays.
We made art for ourselves and to exchange. Even if our table talk was of destruction or sorrow, the work before us sang a different tune. I was bestowed precious trinkets and passed invaluable scraps that I’ll weave into my work in coming months. I was given the gift of seeing my own strange parts made new in another’s hands. It was magic, a bit of a dream.
I won’t presume to offer much wisdom with only four decades to my name, but I do know this: there is no light without dark, no joy without pain. Find your people, and treat them well. Share in good times and bad. Every scrap matters and has its place; do things that make you happy, even if others think they’re weird; create, make mistakes, try again, show up. You’ve got this, and I’m so glad you’re here.
See my work
With the close of Willing & Able, I’m planning to hibernate a bit for the winter. (Y’all, I’m tired.) But you can still see my work in group shows or online—here’s where to look!
Paper Play | Outsiders and Others. I have two works in this Vancouver, BC, gallery dedicated to showcasing untraditional artists! The show is up November 4 to 25 at Outsiders and Others, 716 East Hasting St., Vancouver; gallery hours are Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 4 pm. You can also see the full show, and shop the exhibit, online here.
Connections | Collage Artists of America. Two of my collages were juried into the Collage Artists of America fall show, Connections—and I was delighted to find one was awarded an honorable mention! The virtual exhibit is on show through December 31, 2023. Don’t miss the oodles of collage talent.
EWC Squared | Northwest Collage Society. The 2023-24 fall/winter NWCS members’ show is up through early January 2024 at the Edmonds Waterfront Center gallery, 220 Railroad Ave, Edmonds, WA 98020. All work is on 12”x12” cradle board, making a stunning grid of the best collage in the Pacific Northwest!
Contemporary Collage | ERA Living. I’m thrilled to have three pieces in “Contemporary Collage,” an exhibition of PNW collage art at The Lakeshore, a senior living community in South Seattle.
PastedTogetherArt | Etsy. Interested in a print, or a T-shirt festooned with collage? Get what you need for gifting season in my Etsy shop, PastedTogetherArt! I also sell original collage—please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’re interested in a piece that you’ve seen on my Instagram feed or my personal website.
One last note
Happy hibernation! Thanks for sharing!
joys shared are joys doubled and sorrows shared are sorrows halved!! Love your positive attitude!! Family and friends are the best things. Let go of the misery of past and present and be happy !!🌈🌈Love you💕