current exhibit

Jess H*
November 14-December 28, 2024

From the artist: “I can’t paint… I believed that lie for almost 50 years but as part of my mental health recovery I decided to develop a creative outlet so I started with the basics and bought this finger-painting kit. And anytime I had overwhelming emotions or feelings I couldn’t name, I would paint them until I felt better. I never imagined they would be on display, let alone for sale but here we are! And it’s important to me that people know how I started and that I have reached this level on my own without any classes or YouTube videos. It’s important to me, not as a point of pride, but because I want people to see that it’s possible to do things you never imagined you could do. Things that people told you that you couldn’t do or wouldn’t be good at. Fear is what kept me from painting in the past. Fear that it wouldn’t look perfect and people would make fun of me. But then I remembered my favorite Brene Brown quote: ‘Choose the great adventure of being brave and afraid at the exact same time.’ It’s an exhilarating feeling! So I want to encourage anyone who’ll listen to bravely try something new creatively… but allow me to break the suspense for you… it won’t be perfect and people will make fun of you. Do it anyway. You deserve to feel this feeling.”