The Salem Art Association is offering several categories as part of the 2024 Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program in the Annex at the Bush Barn Art Center. This residency offers a dedicated studio space for artist(s) to experiment and create new work.
ALYCIA HELBLING | ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE
ALYCIA HELBLING | ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE
ANNEX STUDIO | MAY 1 – 28, 2024
ARTIST STATEMENT
This upcoming series is about grieving the losses of versions of myself that I have had to let go of to survive. It is about betrayal, harm, and evolving priorities. While rage and anxiety have been familiar responses to trauma, I find grief more challenging to confront. I have been the person I needed to be and would like to become someone more at peace. I am hopeful that acknowledging the pain artistically will help me move through the mud of spicy memories. In using traditional still life items like flowers to express loss, while adding more specified items to my visual narrative, I can connect with my lived experience instead of distancing myself from it. I use a variety of paint, ink and pencil in saturated color to transfer my ideas to paper. I am grateful for the physical and emotional space offered by Salem Art Association to complete this work.