Opening Reception: Friday, November 1 from 7pm-9pm
Show Runs: Friday, November 1st through Sunday, December 1st

This collection of art grew from my fascination with folk art. I wanted to develop a body of work that referenced folk traditions while leaning into whimsy and story. In today’s world, at times it feels a little subversive to be whimsical or hopeful. But, I feel that we need lightness like we need laughter. My aim became to create a visual world that could be the setting for a storybook. A body of work that evoked the feeling of old folk tales while also feeling fresh and new.

To achieve this, I decided to take a mixed media approach. Using different materials and media, I pulled aesthetic notes from traditional folk crafts like Rosemaling and quilting and combined them with my own style. Fiber arts have always felt maternal to me, and became an important media for the show. My grandma R’Lou taught me how to embroider; my mom taught me how to sew. There’s something about needle and thread that gives me a sense of rootedness and place. As I worked, it made sense to embrace more feminine design and style.

Midwest imagery has always been an inspiration for me. I enjoy using local plants and animals as subject matter for my artwork. As I worked, jackalopes became an important motif. There’s something so delightful about a mythical creature combining an antelope and a jackrabbit of all things. An assemblage of two seemingly disparate pieces into one weirdly delightful whole. And I think in so many ways I’m a similar amalgamation of disparate pieces: joy and sorrow; cowardice and courage; despair and relentless hope.

Accepting the paradox of one’s humanity is humbling, vulnerable, and uncomfortable. I often find myself discouraged by the pieces of myself that I’m not proud of. But that fact remains that all those pieces are my pieces, broken bits and all. Rather than to run from it, every day is an opportunity to become more of what I was made to be. To become more whole.

About the Artist
Caitlin Pisha is a mixed media artist and designer, drawing from experience in both traditional and digital mediums. Through her work, she explores imagery of the Midwest: landscapes, animals, and the people who live here. She works in a variety of media including watercolor, gouache, and embroidery.