The February exhibition brings together three distinctive artists who together explore the symbolic and historical significance of the theme “The Things Women Hold”. Utilizing a range of mediums, from layered monoprints and mixed media collage to resin and paint, the artists approach the broad concept through unique processes, engaging with issues of both historical significance and deep personal resonance.

Rachael Van Dyke began the body of work included in “The Things Women Hold” with an introspective questioning of her personal joys and struggles. This intimate inquiry grew to an exploration of the idea that women carry invisible weight, both historically and currently. Van Dyke thinks of the women depicted in her paintings as vessels of burden and grace. She portrays the life of female saints in many of the works included in the exhibition because she says, “their stories are archetypes of devotion and sacrifice. Their endurance—from lifelong discipline to martyrdom—is the ultimate act of ‘holding’ reframing historical icons into a contemporary form”. 

For R. Sawan White the subject “The Things Women Hold” brought to mind images of balance and precarious color landing on paper. Sawan White created a body of monoprints layered to suggest the complex and moving nature of all that women hold. In her printmaking process, each wood plate is patinaed with inks, capturing the colors, textures, and nuances of time and history. She relates the layers of material to the physical representation of emotions and experience. The plates in turn balance and counterbalance one another in compositions mirroring movement and presence in our daily roles and interactions. R. Sawan White states, “The exhibition title speaks to the beautiful and terrible juggling act that can describe being a woman in this place and time. All the roles we must fill, the things we must be, the identities we must bear. They collide and conflict, but they also enfold and encourage.” 

In her mixed media work, Shellie Lewis Crisp pairs objects with figures, giving symbolism to the relationship between subjects. Lewis Crisp’s work transforms ordinary items into a vehicle for seeking divine intervention. The figures hold objects that map a woman’s journey to finding higher purpose and meaning in the everyday. In the painting “A better place” Lewis Crisp explains,”In A better place the transition from anxiety to peace is shown through a woman who has survived her past and moved forward. Her shield is full of dents and cracks, showing that she has been through a lot, but she is no longer hiding behind it; the holes reveal a checkered suit that represents her real, honest self. By holding the dove and its green twig, she is choosing a fresh start and a peaceful future. The red star on her cap is like an award for the strength it took to make those tough decisions.”

Q:  You often incorporate material like pieces of glass, scraps of fabric and bits of wallpaper in your work. Do the materials you work with carry as much meaning for you as the objects and figures you paint?

Shellie: The scrapes and patches and rips of paper and material don’t carry the same weight, but are the foundation for the mystery of shadows and lines, unintentionally layered,  to later reveal an image unknown to me, the figures are the evolution from the pieces of reused materials. 

Q: The work included in “The Things Women Hold” all fits together so beautifully. The colors, shapes, and materials seem to balance and complement each artist’s work. Did you envision the work coinciding with the other artists in the exhibit or was that a coincidence?

R. Sawan: I think the fact that the artwork in this exhibition balances and compliments each other so wonderfully speaks more to the universal experience of being a woman (and the vision of the curator!) than any plans on our parts as artists. Over the past many months we collaborated together, sharing thoughts and images but we each landed where we are organically and independently. That is part of the beauty of the creative process; it can bring such different mediums, styles, and practices and weave them together into something greater than the sum of the parts. It’s quite a powerful thing to see three voices come together in dialogue in a way that not only preserves each one's strength but enhances it; I’m grateful to be a part of it.

Q: How does the body of work you created for “The Things Women Hold” differ from your other work? 

RACHAEL: While my figurative work has historically been inspired by strangers I encounter during international residencies, this series of female saints was developed from historic iconography. Traditional icons are defined by a strict set of canonical rules; however, I wanted to translate these stories into a contemporary context. I chose monoprinting as my medium because its spontaneity allows me to creatively break from tradition. This approach breathes a "new voice" into these ancient stories, moving them away from rigid symbols and toward a more modern, expressive aesthetic.

Q:  Do you have a favorite piece or a piece that you feel is most successful or meaningful to you in the exhibition?

 Shellie: I connect to all  these paintings and through them all I have worked through my fears, my desires, my emotions and feelings about what I was dealing with in that moment and in those days. But, I especially like the painting “ her compass” because it was the last one I finished, the one I feel sums up how I feel about all of life. Her hand out straight holding the weight of her defense to the world, she is strong and crowns herself  as she navigates life’s struggles and hurdles. Her compass is my true north, set on Jesus, his guidance for my life.  She brings me peace, knowing I will always choose:  kindness, compassion and focus on the divine in my walk, even when carrying the burdens  handed to me. She embraces the attitude I choose to have, and prayerfully, I pray reflective of my character.

Q:  What makes printmaking such a compelling medium for you and why do you continue to pursue printmaking while still painting and drawing as well?  

R. Sawan: Printmaking was kind of a “love at first print” experience for me. From the first time I ran a plate through an etching press I was hooked. It is also a very process-heavy, often misunderstood art form, and that can make it a difficult practice to maintain. It is not right for every idea, I have always seen mediums are different languages; each one has its own nuances and things it’s really good at doing and things it can’t do so well. Painting, drawing, printing, sculpting – they are speaking in different ways – not just as finished pieces but through the process of creation. So when I have an idea, I usually see it in the medium that feels like its native language. Printmaking is a medium of process, it is like taking time and layering it on the page. I love that, I don’t think I will ever be done exploring it. There is a freedom for me in the process of creating a print; it’s experimenting and playing without being precious or tongue-tied. And there is nothing quite as exciting as lifting back the blankets after pulling a print and gently peeling the plate from the paper to see the beauty and magic of crisp color.

Q: Why are saints an important part of the body of work you created for “The Things Women Hold” exhibition?

Rachael: While we all carry our own burdens, it is important to acknowledge historical and global suffering. I turned to the lives of female saints to gain perspective, weighing my own minor struggles in light of their horrific martyrdom. Historically, saints are identified by the objects of their martyrdom; I chose to maintain this iconography tradition to echo the themes explored in this show. We all need heroes—anchors to hold onto when life seems unbearable. These women endured unimaginable trials with a hope rooted in “things unseen”; their eyes fixed on an eternal joy set before them. My goal was to create contemporary works that express their sacrifice, moving away from traditional icons toward a more relatable, simple, and abstract aesthetic.