![]() Through the process, I had this incredible sense of being one of 9 creatives – each in their own strength – contributing to a larger narrative of what it means to “Rise and Thrive” from trauma and injustice. Collectively, we need stories of resilience and hope now more than ever. In a year of great uncertainty and social-political strife, the act of co-creating this exhibit about resilience, healing, and hope has been incredibly meaningful. And as they speak, visuals of their landscape slowly come to life through paint. In each film a survivor’s recorded voice literally “speaks their truth” over the landscape that has inspired them. These audio and visual components were then combined to create six short films. I set up multiple cameras in my studio and recorded the painting process. Michael directed socially-distant and virtual audio-recording sessions with each writer. ![]() Austin led a virtual writing workshop and our writers provided peer critique via Zoom. While COVID-19 caused us to pivot away from our planned in-person gatherings, we were still able to complete the project in meaningful and connected ways. Reece (Poet and Director of Survivor Empowerment at LOTUS Legal Clinic) and Michael Snowden (Milwaukee area photographer and filmmaker). The project also expanded to include two new artists – Austin M. This included in-person meetings, a writing workshop, studio visits, audio and video recording, and our culminating exhibit opening in November. We designed Rise and Thrive in the “pre-pandemic” days when anything and everything felt possible. This year, in the midst of a global pandemic and significant personal isolation, I’ve recognized the ability of shared experience to bring us together, especially when circumstances keep us physically apart. And, when we engage in the stories of others, we discover that we are never truly alone. Co-Creating in a pandemic taught me that the roles of storyteller and listener are equally sacred. But even more importantly, they point us to deeper truths about storytelling, resilience, and our shared humanity.Īs I reflect on the 2020 Rise and Thrive Exhibit, there are five lessons that stand out:ġ. These landscape-narratives tell stories of healing and transformation. Together we dug into “the unique landscapes of our lives” and created a virtual exhibit of oil paintings, short films and creative writings. Aesthetically, I am interested in our innate connection to the outdoors, and how spending time in wild spaces can transform our hearts and minds.įor the past two years, Rise and Thrive: A Lives in Landscape Exhibition has been an exploration of these ideas – specifically highlighting the stories of local survivors of sexual violence in partnership with Milwaukee nonprofit, LOTUS Legal Clinic.ĭue to the pandemic, I had the unique opportunity this year to collaborate virtually with a team of six survivor-writers, a creative writing coach, and a filmmaker. This practice has led me to create Lives in Landscape, a human-interest project that tells life stories through landscape paintings. In my opinion, these are the moments and spaces where we feel most alive.Īs a visual artist and avid hiker, I’ve spent the past several years learning to listen to the natural world and the lessons these experiences might teach us. The natural world has an undeniable power to capture our attention and speak to our souls. ![]() And yet, if I asked you to tell me about a place in nature where you’ve felt a similar sense of wonder, freedom, safety, or peace, I wager that it wouldn’t take long to think of “your” place. It can be difficult to express why moments like these matter.
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