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Events

2025 RISE Survivor Art Show Virtual Gallery

The Blue Bench Presents

The Fourth Annual RISE Survivor Art Show

Content Advisory: This exhibition features artwork created by survivors and may explore themes of trauma and sexual violence. Some pieces may be emotionally challenging. Viewers are encouraged to engage at their own pace and take care of themselves while viewing.

Thank you for visiting the virtual gallery and event page for The Blue Bench's fourth annual RISE Survivor Art Show

Since its inception in 2022, RISE has become more than an event; it is a cornerstone of our community's commitment to fostering awareness and support. Through vibrant artwork and powerful expressions, RISE creates a sacred platform for survivors to reclaim their narratives and shatter the pervasive silence surrounding sexual violence.

For those interested in purchasing artwork, please contact Carolyn Ferrick.

RISE Event Details: April 1-30, 2025

Location: M&D Artistries, 773 Santa Fe Dr., Denver, CO 80204

Regular hours:  Wednesday-Saturday 12:00-6:00 PM; Sunday: 12:00-5:00 PM; Closed Monday & Tuesday

Holiday hours: Closed Easter Sunday

Media Coverage of RISE

RISE 2025 Featured Artwork: No Means No by Kirstie Klein and Brianna Janae (BJ)

  • NO MEANS NO by Brianna Janae (BJ) and Kirstie Klein
    NO MEANS NO by Brianna Janae (BJ) and Kirstie Klein

    No means no. It’s really simple. You don’t owe anyone any sexual act EVER. You are allowed to say no and you are allowed to change your mind and that should always be respected. Consent is ongoing and it is NON NEGOTIABLE. “Unsure”, “maybe” or any hesitation is also considered a no. This does not mean one should be pushed, pressured or any form of coercion EVER. The conversation ends at NO PERIOD!!
     

    Size: 20" x 24"
    For sale: $150


    You can find their artist pages on Instagram: @bjanaecreates and @Kirstieklein

RISE Featured Artists on Artists Interview

The Blue Bench presents the first Artists on Artists interview between our RISE featured artists, Kirstie Klein and Brianna Janae (BJ). Kirstie (right) and BJ (left) have been RISE artists since its inception in 2022. This year, The Blue Bench chose them as our first dual artists to highlight the joy and friendship between survivors. 

2025 RISE Written Works

  • This is a poem I wrote after I was assaulted on a bus in Portland. The man put his hand between my legs in front of everyone and then physically assaulted my sister when she defended me. It was an experience that led to a lot of fear and anxiety for many years after. I tried to brush it away, but it impacted me deeply.

    Website:
    lemondropinkshop.com

    Instagram Page:
    @Lungslikeelephants

    I have books for sale that contain this poem for $15 each.

  • After a conversation with someone closest to me, I was so angry at their suggestion that my rapist could go to heaven that I made a book titled 'If My Rapist Is In Heaven Then I Don't Want To Go.""

    This is an abridged version of that book that follows the stages of grief. Each letter represents a different stage of grief- Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. Survivors go through so many stages of grief, and sometimes we skip around and relieve certain ones over and over and over again. I know that Anger is the one that inspired most of this work.

    Believe Survivors. Learn the signs of CSA.

    Instagram Page: @mbriggsart

  • I am submitting my poem "in-house" from "LIberties," my book of poetry that was published in February, 2024. The poem depicts the dichotomy of carefree times on Sunday mornings at my grandmother's house versus the abuse at the hands of my father on Saturday mornings. The Saturday table minus the cloth signified my father's menacing presence and what he was about to do to me on the table.

  • This is a short, impactful poem detailing Ezra's experience being assaulted by an older cousin as a child.

    Instagram Page:
    @bloodbornepoetry

  • M. L. Hassell is a writer and artist from the American South.

  • Often times, we still hear society tell us “a boyfriend can’t rape his girlfriend” or “it’s not rape if it’s your husband."" This narrative has hurt too many people, including me.

    For too long, I believed these lies. I thought I believed I had not been sexually assaulted because it wasn’t a stranger who did it; it was my boyfriend. Today, I am more comfortable speaking about my story, but unfortunately, I still do not feel safe using my full name to tell it. Today, I know it wasn’t my fault. Today, I know my body is mine and no one else’s. Today, I am a survivor.

    Instagram Page: @margaritapoetry_

  • This poem is a glimpse into my journey, surviving the effects of sexual violence and the heaviness of mental health struggles. It’s about time, how it slips, stops, rewinds, and sometimes feels like it’s running out. It’s messy and raw, just like healing. Some days are filled with light and joy; other days, it’s all shadows. But through it all, I’ve learned to give myself time, time to breathe, to feel, to keep going. This is a piece of me, finding hope in the chaos.

    Instagram Page: @TheTempy

  • An ex-boyfriend reached out a year after he sexually assaulted me to apologize. He kept saying he hoped I was the same positive and loving person that I was before I met him. It stuck with me as such a strange thing to say... it is impossible to stay the same after such a traumatic event, and I am not sure I would even want to be as trusting as I was before.

    This piece explores ideas of forgiveness and learning to balance the knowledge that some people don't have the best intentions with the innate desire I have to trust others and see the best in them.

    Instagram Page: @fairskyepoetry

  • This poem is a raw and emotional journey through my trauma, silence, and survival of sexual assault. It captures the weight of injustice and the struggle to reclaim my identity and my voice. Yet, in the midst of my pain, I find redemption and strength through God’s love—transforming my suffering into resilience and reaffirming my divine worth and my purpose."

    Facebook Page: Taniya Mills
    Instagram Page: @_just.peachy_

  • "Intervention" is a poem from a current book I am writing, Party Girl Blues. Party Girl Blues is a mixed-media poetry book featuring scanned photography, various textural collages, and pressed florals displayed with each written piece.

    The book reflects on previous addictions, mental illness, and surviving abusive experiences in my early to mid twenties.

    Instagram Page:
    @planbgoblin

2025 RISE Virtual Gallery

  • Abbie Salazar-Francone/AbbieDo Art - The Dancer
    Abbie Salazar-Francone/AbbieDo Art - The Dancer

    Abbie Salazar-Francone/AbbieDo Art (She/Her)

    The Dancer

    Sculpture

    9.5" x 10" x 4.5"

    $350.00

    The Dancer is a strong woman who has learned to love who she is. Strong, powerful, resilient, and full of creativity is what she is now.

     

    Website: https://abbiedo.etsy.com/

  • Aidan H. - Listen Before I Go
    Aidan H. - Listen Before I Go

    Aidan H. (He/They)

    Listen Before I Go

    Photography

    27" x 40"

    On the night of July 24th, 2022, I walked to this bridge to end my life. I was overwhelmed, lost in pain and afraid to understand. I was realizing I had been carrying the silent truth that my first sexual experience the year prior wasn’t okay and was sexual assault. I came to this bridge in a rush of believing I was forever tainted and afraid of carrying the weight of the pain, shame, and confusion I felt. I would’ve gone through with it if I hadn’t run off after seeing people walk towards me. I was ashamed of that for a long time but what felt like a failure then has become the best thing to ever happen to me.

    I’ve worked hard since that night through therapy, the support of loved ones, and my art to advocate for Mental Health & Sexual Assault Awareness and accept my pain is part of my story but not my whole story as I’ve also returned to school to major in Social Work & Psychology to become a Psychotherapist to help others. This photograph, taken on the same bridge and in the same clothes, honors my darkest chapter and the manifestation of the growth I'm forever motivated to chase. It’s choosing to live even when it feels impossible and while healing is messy and nonlinear, it is possible.

    Trust the vision, even when it's blurry. You are not alone.

     

    Website: www.aidansvision.com

    Facebook Page: www.instagram.com/aidansvision

    Instagram Page: www.instagram.com/aidansvision

  • Allison Heistand - Scarlet Snow Angel
    Allison Heistand - Scarlet Snow Angel

    Allison Heistand (She/Her)

    Scarlet Snow Angel

    Painting

    20" x 30"

    My being is rooted in divinity, love, freedom, beauty, joy, and peace. I am an unyielding force, rising stronger each time the world and those I had trusted tried to break my spirit.  Despite their surprise and resentment, I remain unapologetically and relentlessly myself.

    They tried to convince me that the sexual abuse I endured would ruin me, that the violence would define me. But they were wrong. Though I’ve known pain that threatened to hollow me out, my soul holds a strength they could never touch.

    On my sixth Christmas Eve, as I endured another brutal assault, I escaped by floating above my bed, dreaming of snow’s quiet purity, the peace of its embrace, the joy of making snow angels, and recognizing my divinity.

    This piece captures the contrast between the brutality I survived and the sacred renewal snow represents, and its purity, stillness, cleansing power, and its connection to death and rebirth. I am both the bloodshed and the snow, death and rebirth, unbreakable and fiercely alive.

     

    Website: www.allisonheistand.com

    Instagram Page: @arheistand

  • Amanda Christine - There is Light After a Storm
    Amanda Christine - There is Light After a Storm

    There is Light After a Storm

    Painting, mixed media

    40" x 30"

    $1,525.00

    Amanda Christine (She/They)

    I created this piece using entirely upcycled materials purposefully to convey that although sometimes things are discarded and devalued, there is always the potential to find within them beauty and sacredness. 

    This theme has been a big part of my own healing journey, and this piece reflects a rainstorm in my inner world, a world that here looks like internal organs in reference to the body keeping score, and is made with upcycled fur and feathers and wool — literally the discarded bits from others’ bodies. 

    I collected these while thrifting and thought it was poignant to use them in this piece both as a way to express myself and to honor who those bits came from. 

    Although it is raining in the piece, there are also light tones that emerge in the painting, communicating a sense of calm and healing after a great storm.

     

    Instagram Page: @amandatine.art

  • Andrea Fischer - Yarn Cave
    Andrea Fischer - Yarn Cave

    Andrea Fischer (She/Her)

    Yarn Cave

    Installation

    Minimum size of the install: 48" x 36'' x Ceiling

    Max: 100" x 60''x Ceiling

     

    Yarn Cave is a traveling immersive installation asking viewers to indulge in an altered whimsical reality valued by yarn and “women’s work." 

    This single, gaudy material buries the existing surfaces of everyday items shedding them of any masculinity. Each detail is invested towards experiencing this sanctuary through more tactile senses beyond the eye; its true desire is to welcome all.

    The tedious repetition of the process  and patterns has developed into an art therapy practice I use to cope with my post-traumatic stress disorder.

     

    Website: andreafischer.art

    Instagram Page: @_andreafischer

  • Anonymous - Ceilings
    Anonymous - Ceilings

    Anonymous (She/They)

    Ceilings

    Painting

    5" x 7"

    This piece should truly be floor to ceiling, wall to wall, massive on a looming canvas; frankly the horrors behind them and suffocating reminders subsequent ceilings bring remain monstrous enough.

  • Artek Longworth - Calling.
    Artek Longworth - Calling.

    Artek Longworth (They/Them)

    Calling.

    Photography

    20" x 16"

    $100.00

    At one point or another, many of us have reached out for help, especially those who are survivors. And for many, the system has betrayed us. We are told there is nothing they can do, that the wait times for support are far too long, that we “asked for it,” and that we should move on with our lives. 

    The phone is yellow, mocking the cheeriness of the situation, and stands out amidst the snowstorm. It is, as help so often is, just out of reach. 

    It is a self-portrait photograph, utilizing my hand, and was taken all alone in the woods. It is an ode not only to my struggles but to all those who also identify as victims and/or survivors. 

    It is a part of my ongoing series of self-portraits, The Ruchalski Project. The project is named after the teacher who not only taught me photography but also how to survive and, most importantly, who saved my life. Gina, thank you for ensuring that I am no longer just a victim but a survivor.

     

    Instagram Page: Soil Sanctuary Studio

  • Ashley Morgan - The Escape Artist
    Ashley Morgan - The Escape Artist

    Ashley Morgan (She/Her)

    The Escape Artist

    Painting

    30" x 30"

    $400.00

     

    “The Escape Artist” is a representation of childhood. Based on a real photo of the artist as a child, Ashley Morgan welcomes you to a childlike state of wonder and whimsy amidst a chaotic reality which surrounds her. 

    This piece encourages us all to care for our inner children as they have cared for us in the midst of difficult times.

     

    Instagram Page: @amidst_livingartists

  • b sotomayor - Lady and the Question Marks
    b sotomayor - Lady and the Question Marks

    b sotomayor (He/Him)

    Lady and the Question Marks

    Mixed Media

    24" x 18"

    $450.00

    What is she looking at? Is it from the past or into the future? She is in a room with a view that beckons her out. But the look backwards signifies she might not be ready for the real world or so she thinks.

    So there are question marks within her that need to be explored so she can move forward. The most relevant and important aspect of this piece is that she understands the question marks and wants to get answers so she can move forward.

     

    Website: bsotomayor.com

    Instagram Page: wmsotomayor

  • B. K. Dalessandro - Decay
    B. K. Dalessandro - Decay

    B. K. Dalessandro (She/Her)

    Decay

    Painting

    8" x 10"

    $250.00

    This painting perfectly exemplifies my healing journey. The decaying outward skin symbolizes the death of my old self, while the bright red seeds show my resilience to my healing. According to Greek mythology, a pomegranate seed is what bound Persephone to the underworld. For me, it felt like my trauma was binding me to darkness.

    The reference for this image was taken in Rome, Italy in 2017.

     

    Instagram Page: @lions.and.salamanders

  • Belén Torres - Mujer de Oro
    Belén Torres - Mujer de Oro

    Belén Torres (She/Her)

    Mujer de Oro

    Mixed Media (color pencil, print, collage, marker))

    16" x 20"

    $600.00

    "Mujer de Oro," a Color Pencil Print Collage by Mexican-American Multidisciplinary Artist Belén Torres.

    This piece represents the stage of healing and isolation when connected with nature. An indigenous woman, from Michoacán Mexico, peacefully enters the Cupatitzio River.

    Gracefully stepping into meditation, replenishing her strength, surrounded by nutrient rich land and water that flows from a natural spring at the top of the mountain. In an oasis surrounded by volcanoes and rough terrain, like the migrating monarch butterfly, she always finds her way back home.

     

    Instagram Page: @passionfrvitberlin

  • Brianna Janae (BJ) - DON'T TOUCH ME
    Brianna Janae (BJ) - DON'T TOUCH ME

    Brianna Janae (BJ)

    DON'T TOUCH ME

    Photography

    12" x 18"

    $300.00

    My sexual freedom is mine to own. No matter what I am wearing, not wearing, no matter what I've said, done, who does or doesn't like it. Nudity, sexual expression, fluidity, don't mean one deserves harm, betrayal or shame. The touch I experience should come with my consent. Otherwise, Don't Touch Me.

    Shot by Kirstie Klein

    Model: BJ

  • Brianna Janae (BJ) - I Matter
    Brianna Janae (BJ) - I Matter

    Brianna Janae (BJ)

    I Matter

    Photography

    12" x 18"

    $250.00

    "I Matter" is a gentle reminder to self and spirit that as a survivor, I Matter too. A soft, loving, and simple reminder. No matter our roles and what we do for others, we matter too. After my experiences I've often moved into the space of advocacy, support, and activism. While this can be liberating it can bring a level of external responsibility and expectation. As an artist, my creativity is often a mirror of what is occurring in my life. This photoshoot allowed me to welcome a season of joy, vulnerability, and shedding old narratives. There is enough space for me in the life I am creating. I Matter Too.

    Shot by Kirstie Klein

    Model: BJ

     

  • briggs - if my rapist is in heaven, I don't want to go
    briggs - if my rapist is in heaven, I don't want to go

    briggs (They/Them)

    if my rapist is in heaven, I don't want to go

    Digital Art

    16" x 20"

    $5.00

    Many people use religion as a way to oppress victims of sexual assault. I was once told that if I never forgave my rapist, I would go to hell. When I asked if they would get to go if they repented and never did it again, I was told they would be allowed to go.

    If heaven is full of rapists, pedophiles, and assaulters who repented to god, then why would I want to go there? The warmth of hell surrounded by other angry survivors seems more comforting, some days.

    Instagram Page: @mbriggsart

  • Carolyn - Healing Raging, Raging Healing
    Carolyn - Healing Raging, Raging Healing

    Carolyn (She/Her)

    Healing Raging, Raging Healing

    Painting

    14" x 11"

    Nature as a mirror.

  • Cassie Koza - The Nature of PTSD
    Cassie Koza - The Nature of PTSD

    Cassie Koza (She/Her)

    The Nature of PTSD

    Sculpture

    15.5" x 72"

     

    I long to be a tree, tall and strong,

    Where nothing hurts, and I belong.

    Rooted deep, away from harm,

    Safe from the world, its fear, its alarm.

    The breeze will whisper, the deer will tread,

    And I'll stand still, no more misled.

    No voice to break, no hand to harm,

    Just nature's peace, a healing charm.

    In the quiet woods, I'll finally breathe,

    A place of safety, where I can grieve.

    Away from pain, away from strife -

    A tree, at last, a peaceful life.

  • Cecilia Kohl - I'm Sorry
    Cecilia Kohl - I'm Sorry

    Cecilia Kohl (She/They)

    I'm Sorry

    Ink and watercolor

    8" x 5.5"

    Sometimes when you're in the thick of things you're made to feel like everything is your fault and you need to apologize for it all. It wasn't and you don't.

  • Chester Rhodes - No Boundary
    Chester Rhodes - No Boundary

    Chester Rhodes (He/They)

    No Boundary

    Painting

    16" x 20"

    $1,500.00

    Two figures bleed into each other as they are pulled across the open space around them. There is no clear beginning or end, no boundary.

     

    Website: www.chesterrhodes.com

    Instagram Page: @franken_twink

  • D Garrett - From the Flame
    D Garrett - From the Flame

    D Garrett (She/Her)

    From the Flame

    Painting

    30" x 24"

    $240.00

    This piece is a phoenix flying through a vortex. Rising, flying, lighting the way, bringing the fiery energy of transformation with it!

    It's about finding a way through, because that's the only way out.

     

    Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Dzworx

    Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/dzworx?igsh=MThiOWQ3bXR0b2c4YQ==

     

  • Dacole Arts - Pieces Of Her
    Dacole Arts - Pieces Of Her

    Dacole Arts (She/Her)

    Pieces Of Her

    Painting

    16" x 24"

     

    This acrylic painting symbolizes the intricate balancing act women face in life. It reflects the unseen yet deeply felt reality of giving pieces of ourselves to our various roles- nurturing children, supporting partners, excelling in careers, cultivating relationships, and teaching spirituality. 

    While each piece is a contribution of love and purpose, it highlights the challenge of maintaining wholeness amidst the demands. Through its texture and composition, this painting conveys strength, resilience and the occasional pain of holding everything together in the pursuit of self- preservation and harmony.

    Instagram Page: @dacolearts

  • Dea Bender - Three lives Shattered P.2
    Dea Bender - Three lives Shattered P.2

    Dea Bender (She/Her)

    Three lives Shattered P.2

    Painting

    28" x 22”

    Sold

    Learning to find light and healing. From Dark to light, the soul cries out to be heard, many times the sorrow of what has been taken/lost can leave one in a state of turmoil.

    This painting represents different stages of emotion and healing.

     

    Instagram Page: @m.d.artistries

  • DHRUVI MEHTA SHAH - Untethered
    DHRUVI MEHTA SHAH - Untethered

    DHRUVI MEHTA SHAH (She/Her)

    Untethered

    Painting

    11" x 14"

    Sold

    "Untethered" is a very personal piece about reclaiming your power. No trauma or turmoil defines you, you are more than what is trying to hold you back.

    You are not limited to your experiences, you are unlimited.

     

    Website: www.createdbydhruvi.com

    Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/createdbydhruvi

    Instagram Page: www.instagram.com/createdbydhruvi

  • Dirty Red Bandana Art (Sarafina Feldman) - Hemostasis
    Dirty Red Bandana Art (Sarafina Feldman) - Hemostasis

    Dirty Red Bandana Art (Sarafina Feldman) (She/Her)

    Hemostasis

    Painted canvas, collage, yarn

    10" x 20"

    $240.00

    Hemostasis is the body's first stage of healing. Healing is a process, a road one finds themselves on. No one's road looks the same as the others. This piece represents the start of that road, the beginning of the healing process.

     

    Instagram Page: @dirty_red_bandana_art

  • Dr. Brittany Soul Sharp - We Left, So We Win
    Dr. Brittany Soul Sharp - We Left, So We Win

    Dr. Brittany Soul Sharp (She/Her)

    We Left, So We Win

    Performance & Visual Written & Artistic Canvas

    24" x 24"

    $200.00

    I’ve created a Poetic and Visually Artistic canvas with a poem that is just as powerfully when read audibly.

    We Left, So We Win captures a moment while in the midst of a violent relationship, where I made the decision to Leave.

    I smiled into the sunlight as my former partner stood nearby looking at me confused.

    I decided, the best weapon I had was simply, my freedom.

     

    Website: BrittanySoul.com

    Facebook Page: https://m.facebook.com/BrittanySoul/

    Instagram Page: Instagram.com/brittanysoul

  • Enchanted Dichotomy - Silent Warriors
    Enchanted Dichotomy - Silent Warriors

    Enchanted Dichotomy (They/Them)

    Silent Warriors

    Wire, apoxy sculpt, FX paint and clay.

    22" x 15"

    $350.00

    They represent the voice that was silenced, the withdrawal from connection, surrounded by mercury solid and liquid to keep everyone out. Past the barbed wire is the story and heart protected. Warriors prevail.

  • Esther Rivera - Naked
    Esther Rivera - Naked

    Esther Rivera (They/Them)

    Naked

    An image with acetate above it

    5" x 7"

    It is a picture of the window of the room where I was sexually assaulted. There is a clear acetate with a drawing depicting my rape.

    Website: eriveraphotography.com

    Instagram Page: @e.rivera.photo

  • Hannah - Untitled
    Hannah - Untitled

    Hannah (She/Her)

    Untitled

    Mixed-media painting/collage with 3D aspects

    44" x 54"

    This piece almost immediately had a life of its own. As it grew, I noticed different interpretations, such as a clock, a compass, or even the top view of a skull.

    It originated as a piece dedicated to the song "A Little Piece of Heaven" by Avenged Sevenfold and the illustrated music video for the song, which describes an abusive relationship. There are lyrics written on the piece as well. This piece was a way to express many strong, conflicting emotions.

    Instagram Page: @artbyhnc

  • heathernoelart.com - Swirl Snow
    heathernoelart.com - Swirl Snow

    heathernoelart.com (She/Her)

    Swirl Snow

    Painting

    16" x 20"

    $320.00

    Website: HTTP://heathernoelart.com

    Instagram Page: @Heathermnoel

  • Ikarus - Untitled
    Ikarus - Untitled

    Ikarus (They/Them)

    Untitled

    Hand Cut Analog Collage

    11" x 14"

    $111.00

    a past

    shaped by grief

    that never rests

     

    Instagram Page: @iicarian

  • Isabella Briganti - Body I
    Isabella Briganti - Body I

    Isabella Briganti (She/Her)

    Body I

    Painting

    16" x 20"

    Sold

    The relationship to one's body tends to shift after trauma. My traumas have changed the relationship that I have with my body; somatic sensation has changed, visual perception of myself has changed, the memories that my muscles have sometimes do not coincide with the ones in my brain. Physical relationships with myself and others have been challenged. Being mentally and physically present in my body has been a large part of recovery, and I imagine that is not an uncommon sentiment. Body I is a presentation of the literal body in a form of almost-abstraction, in a state of de-personalization and defense.

     

    Website: isabellabriganti.com

    Instagram Page: @unrefinedmarsupial

  • Jaz Palmer - Open Wide
    Jaz Palmer - Open Wide

    Jaz Palmer (She/Her)

    Open Wide

    Soft Pastels, Color Pencil

    17" x 14"

    $275.00

    While the events were happening, I would allow my mind to be anywhere else than in the present reality. Being scared into compliance isn't the same as consent.

     

    Website: lovejaz.art

    Instagram Page: @lovejaz.art

  • Jenn Merz CQ - Dynamic Rumbling 1/1
    Jenn Merz CQ - Dynamic Rumbling 1/1

    Jenn Merz CQ (She/Her)

    Dynamic Rumbling 1/1

    Linocut/Gelli Plate Print

    12" x 10"

    $125.00

    From a small series of prints inspired by my painting “Dynamic”. These prints celebrate my personal discovery that on a subconscious level I have always used myself for my female figures in my work. This discovery over time allowed me to really see myself. To use myself as the actual model. Honoring my transformation since relocating from NJ to CO.

     

    Website: jennmerzcolorqueen.com

    Facebook Page: jennmerzcolorqueen

    Instagram Page: @jennmerzcolorqueen

  • JENNIFER LAIDLAW - Untitled
    JENNIFER LAIDLAW - Untitled

    JENNIFER LAIDLAW (She/Her)

    Untitled

    Photography

    8" x 10"

    $45.00

    This is a manipulated self portrait of me surviving much too much.

     

    Instagram Page: jenahlstarlight

  • Jenniffer Bara - Healing Journey
    Jenniffer Bara - Healing Journey

    Jenniffer Bara (She/Her)

    Healing Journey

    Painting

    20" x 16"

    $300.00

    My healing journey started because I wanted to get better for my family. Over time it developed to something deeper within myself. The bright sky is a representative of how beautiful life has gotten since then. Unfortunately there are still dangers and I want to protect myself while enjoying my peace. There is still a lot of me to learn and heal but this is my journey.

    This experience is similar to how a rose bush has many thorns while protecting the roses and growing many more.

     

    Instagram Page: @jenny.bara

  • Jessica Lucido - Stormy
    Jessica Lucido - Stormy

    Jessica Lucido (She/Her)

    Stormy

    Painting

    16" x 20"

    $250.00

    “Stormy” is a piece I created during a difficult period of my life following the onset of the COVID pandemic. It was a visual representation of the emotions I was experiencing during that time. This is a very personal piece to me.

     

    Instagram Page: @Jlucidoart

  • Jessie Tucker - Rage Reborn
    Jessie Tucker - Rage Reborn

    Jessie Tucker (She/Her)

    Rage Reborn

    Painting

    36" x 24"

    $375.00

    Our rage is a seed. Nurtured and directed by our intentions, it will sprout new growth: beautiful, free, and untamable by the systems that oppress us.

     

    Website: www.jessietucker.art

    Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/JessieTuckerArt

    Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/jessietucker_art/

  • Joy Redstone - Reclamation
    Joy Redstone - Reclamation

    Joy Redstone (She/Her)

    Reclamation

    Mixed media

    70" x 30"

    $2,000.00

    This piece is about the healing that is possible after violation. I experienced sexual abuse from my father as a child. The damage that occurred was incalculable.

    Yet, art has given me a voice to tell that story, as well as the story of my healing journey. When we face what we think is insurmountable pain and betrayal, we can blossom again.

     

    Website: https://joyredstoneart.com/

    Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/joy.eckstine/

    Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/joyredstone/

  • JustSass - Sacred Rage
    JustSass - Sacred Rage

    JustSass (She/Her)

    Sacred Rage

    Digital photo

    8" x 8"

    $50.00

    In honoring what God has made, you refuse to be silent while your rights are dismantled; you speak out indignantly, echoing your ancestors' stifled voices, allowing your pain to be laid bare.

    I intensely experience my emotions and choose not to mask. I believe that we must take time to wallow and then collectively move forward toward the liberation past due.

     

  • Kait | BΛRE BONEZ COLLECTIVE - In Bloom
    Kait | BΛRE BONEZ COLLECTIVE - In Bloom

    Kait | BΛRE BONEZ COLLECTIVE (She/They)

    In Bloom

    Layered gesso, blunt ash, dried baby's breath on canvas

    20" x 20"

    This experimental process of layering gesso and manipulating its shape with palette knives is an expression of softness, as well as the love I feel for those around me, and was discovering for myself in my late twenties.

    May every Survivor find softness in their worlds – we all have the ability, when life allows.

     

    Website: https://www.barebonezcollective.com/

    Instagram Page: @barebonezcollective

  • Karen Manley - Untitled
    Karen Manley - Untitled

    Karen Manley (She/Her)

    Untitled

    Painting

    12" x 9"

    $150.00

    This painting is the first in a series titled "Healing Loudly." After I was assaulted by a stranger and then a friend in one night, I found myself artistically paralyzed and struggling to find an emotional outlet. 

    I stumbled into abstract watercolor and it has changed my life. My process begins with feeling through big emotions as I do the watercolor portion. Then, I go back over with pen and work through those feelings in a more controlled way. 

    This process has allowed me to work through my trauma and find a greater sense of peace.

     

    Website: www.karenmanley.art

  • Kate Havekost - And Death Shall Have No Dominion
    Kate Havekost - And Death Shall Have No Dominion

    Kate Havekost (She/Her)

    And Death Shall Have No Dominion

    Watercolor on birch panel

    24"x 36"x 1.5"

    $6,500.00

    2024

    Spent Sunflowers

    I don't want to detail my story, or influence anyone by telling a viewer what to see but hopefully I've successfully created an analog of an emotional landscape by depicting a physical landscape.

     

    Website: KateHavekostFineArt.com

    Instagram Page: @KateHavekostFineArt

  • Kathy OConner - 1974
    Kathy OConner - 1974

    Kathy OConner (She/Her)

    1974

    Painting

    24" x 24" x 1.5"

    $225.00

    This painting reflects a time of contemplation and decision making. Thinking about moving west to the mountains of Colorado to start a new life at 20 years old. There's a feeling of isolation but also of the power to control one's destiny.

     

    Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/kathy-oconner.bsky.social

  • Kennedy Medicated - Grieving
    Kennedy Medicated - Grieving

    Kennedy (She/Her)

    Medicated Grieving

    Collage: drawn with ink and charcoal, with a medication label collage background in a frame decorated with fake flowers and over 100 psychotropic pills

    18" x 11"

    Exploring forced tranquility and healing.

     

    Instagram Page: @Antimanic

  • Kirstie Klein - Disruptor
    Kirstie Klein - Disruptor

    Kirstie Klein (She/Her)

    Disruptor

    Photography

    12" x 18"

    Sold

    The first time I was assaulted I was a virgin and it forever changed me. I felt so much shame about my body so I covered it up and put the blame on myself. Not realizing it was my body that held me time after time. 

    Because I’m sexy and sexual doesn’t mean I deserved anything that happened to me nor to any survivor. And I want every survivor to know that. You deserve to feel safe in your body always. Even if you are “asking” for it - that’s okay too. Your body deserves to be celebrated and shown off as you please. It should never result in being assaulted. My body liberation saved me. And now the best parts of me—my soul, heart, and powerful voice are being used to share my story.

    The healing journey after assault isn’t an easy one. Mine was full of up and down roller coasters filled with regret, self blame, shame, living in survival mode, abusive relationships, self medicating, mental health diagnoses, health issues, so much anger and pain I didn’t know what to do with it. It has been incredibly hard, messy, terrifying and lonely.

    There’s no correct way to heal - we’re each on our own path just trying to keep our heads above water. It can be debilitating at times. Living in this world as a survivor that is favored to predators and abusers is beyond exhausting. You deserve to feel angry. You deserve to be as loud as you want in a world that goes above and beyond to keep you silent. Believing and supporting survivors saves lives!! The thing is we’re never going to shut up. And we’re never going to stop trying to end sexual violence.

    So, remember this— the power of knowing your BODY IS YOURS AND ONLY YOURS and no one can take that away from you!! You, your life, your voice, your joy, your journey - they all MATTER. You are beyond worthy and bigger than anything that you have been through. It does not define you. The shame was never yours to hold. You are so needed and loved in this world. I’m so glad you are here, I’m so glad you survived.

     

    Instagram Page: @Kirstieklein

  • Kirstie Klein - NO MEANS NO
    Kirstie Klein - NO MEANS NO

    Kirstie Klein (She/Her)

    NO MEANS NO

    Photography

    16" x 22.5"

    $300.00

    No means no. It’s really simple. No is a complete sentence. You don’t owe anyone any sexual act EVER. You are allowed to say no and you are allowed to change your mind and that should always be respected.

    Consent is ongoing and it is NON NEGOTIABLE. “Unsure”, “maybe” or any hesitation is also considered a no. This does not mean one should be pushed, pressured or any form of coercion EVER. The conversation ends at NO PERIOD!!

     

    Instagram Page: @Kirstieklein

  • Kirstie Klein & Brianna Janae (BJ) - Better Together
    Kirstie Klein & Brianna Janae (BJ) - Better Together

    Kirstie Klein & Brianna Janae (BJ)

    Better Together

    Photography

    16" x 16"

    $250.00

    BJ and I met at our first “RISE” show three years ago. We connected right away and it bloomed into a beautiful and special friendship. And now we’re celebrating by each other’s side as this year’s featured artists. Survivors need other survivors in their lives.

    Too many of us have suffered alone and so many of us share the same similar fears, experiences and struggles. It’s vital to have that support of someone who understands what you’ve been through and can be there to validate you and lift you up in the hard moments and to know you’re not alone. We need one another to help fight this fight to end sexual violence. I loved creating these photos with BJ.

    During the creation process it was filled with so much love, laughter and grounding peace. I’m so incredibly grateful for BJ and how our paths crossed through this beautiful journey.

    With these photos we wanted to show people that we are not just our trauma and stories but also all the other wonderful things in life like joy, trust, connection and safety. This accurately describes our friendship and all these things can coexist to keep us alive. Every survivor deserves that and to know community is possible and RISE gives you that opportunity to have it. We are all truly better together.

    By Kirstie Klein

    RISE has not only impacted me as an artist, but it has taught me about the safety and love that can exist in community care. Even if our harm happened in isolation, our healing does not have to be alone. This photoshoot was special to me in more ways than one. I've always admired Kirstie's photography work and collaborating on this series felt so freeing.

    She came into my life in our first RISE show together and we have built a friendship rooted in trust, safety, and love. Our friendship is an art of its own and is not rooted in what happened in our past, but who we are becoming. She has been a big part of reframing what trust in friendship looks like and I am grateful RISE brought us together.

    By BJ

     

    Instagram Page: @Kirstieklein and @bjanaecreates 

  • Laryssa A. Edgett - Forgiveness - A Complicated Grace
    Laryssa A. Edgett - Forgiveness - A Complicated Grace

    Laryssa A. Edgett (She/Her)

    Forgiveness - A Complicated Grace

    Painting

    18" x 24"

    Sold

    I wanted this to show that forgiveness can be beautiful, powerful, and messy.

     

    Instagram Page: @atorncanvas

  • LeAnn Fenton - Eve
    LeAnn Fenton - Eve

    LeAnn Fenton (She/Her)

    Eve

    Pen & Ink

    14"x11"; 25"x 20" with frame

    $450.00

    Be defiant! As they objectify, silence, use, blame and forget, be defiant!

     

    Website: https://www.LeAnnFenton.com

    Instagram Page: @fenton.leann

  • Lo Coleman - We burn, despite our wants.
    Lo Coleman - We burn, despite our wants.

    Lo Coleman (They/She)

    We burn, despite our wants.

    Painting

    48" x 60"

    $3,000.00

    Despite our desires and our efforts, the evil of the world seems to spread like wildfire. It is all consuming, the way I burn each day, and the way I see us all ablaze.

     

    Website: www.Locoleman.com

    Instagram Page: @fromthe_hollow

  • Lorraine Herrera Bonilla - Selfie
    Lorraine Herrera Bonilla - Selfie

    Lorraine Herrera Bonilla (She/Her)

    Selfie

    Painting

    65” x 54”

    $3200.00

    Selfie….usually a selfie says look at me, this one says please don’t.

     

    Website: lorraineherrerabonilla.com

    Instagram Page: @lorraineherrerabonillaart

  • Lyric Momo Schatzi - Rabbit Season, 2024
    Lyric Momo Schatzi - Rabbit Season, 2024

    Lyric Momo Schatzi (They/Them)

    Rabbit Season, 2024

    Painting

    8" x 11"

    Having experienced the grief of familial loss and having witnessed major lay offs from various art institutions including my own workplace over the past year I've felt immense guilt and complicity in company actions I disagree with. 

    Rabbits are tougher than they seem, they're survivors for themselves and will defend their own when threatened. I wish I had done more for my family and my team instead of feeling hopeless and lost. 

    I like to imagine that the rabbit shown here will someday be able to rest rather than worry about survival or self defense.

     

    Instagram Page: @lyricmomoschatzi

  • Mar Kummerman - Zipped and Locked Shut
    Mar Kummerman - Zipped and Locked Shut

    Mar Kummerman (They/Them)

    Zipped and Locked Shut

    Painting

    12" x 16"

    A mix media painting showing the things said to the artist to keep them quiet about the CSA they experienced.

     

    Instagram Page: @mar_is_tired

  • Matangacita - Consent
    Matangacita - Consent

    Matangacita (She/Her)

    Consent

    Collage with newspaper, magazine & calendar cuttings, colored pencil and writing

    24" x 18"

    It’s a horrible story, but heroic to many how, in France, Giséle Pelicot insisted on as open and public a trial possible, once her ex-husband, Dominique was revealed to have orchestrated, over nearly a decade, a group of chatroom buddies who raped her while drugged unconscious so he could film it. 

    Took a long time for the abundance of irrefutable evidence to land Dominique in prison and explain the years of Giséle’s memory and pelvic pain issues. 

    He got 20 years, but even with 51 convictions in all, her story’s not over. When I first heard the story, that 20 years sounded like a victory, but just the existence of one of the chatrooms they used, called “Without Her Knowledge,” does not bode well for the mental health in that region, where so many men were so willing to play along and not stop it in its tracks from the get-go.

    Not that here in the US we are exactly the model for how to handle sexual assault and the depravity in our online environment either. 

    Our current President’s comments about what he feels entitled to do to women without consent doesn’t mean “they love it.” It takes a lot of gaslighting of others and even of oneself to forge ahead aggressively with no regard for consent, whether individually or collectively. 

    Hence, in this collage, the stories of Giséle’s ordeal and our country’s and our world’s in the face of the “flooding the zone” since inauguration day, fast and furious with zero tolerance for even the suggestion of genuine consent. 

    The gutting of what helps the people can be hijacked to only advantage billionaires when consent of the people is dismissed and disdained. Humans need consent to have a shared reality we can problem-solve and collaborate constructively in. 

  • Matthew Clark - Escape from the Dark
    Matthew Clark - Escape from the Dark

    Matthew Clark (He/Him)

    Escape from the Dark

    Painting

    20" x 16"

    $750.00

    Escaping from abuse and sexual violence is a profound journey of reclaiming one’s self and strength that no one should have to experience alone. Survivors deserve to know that there is light and life on the other side, along with the support, understanding, and resources needed to aid in their recovery process. This piece expresses the urgent need to break free from the darkness that sexual violence has imposed on so many individuals across the world.

    I hope every survivor can find the strength to walk away from that dark world and discover hope, happiness, vibrancy, and a new life beyond their struggles.

     

    Website: https://www.matticcreative.com

    Instagram Page: @matthewclarkart

  • May Wadsworth - Self Portrait
    May Wadsworth - Self Portrait

    May Wadsworth (She/Her)

    Self Portrait

    Painting

    18" x 24"

    Sold

    My leaves may just be budding, but my roots run deep.

  • Megan Marie - Night Terrors
    Megan Marie - Night Terrors

    Megan Marie (She/Her)

    Night Terrors

    Graphite, ink pen, marker

    12" x 15"

    Although I have healed through the many traumas that haunt my life, the night terrors of what each one did to me still remain.

    Each one creeping around me as they stalk me, invade my innocence and touching me with their long creepy fingers. This forever disgusts me, haunting my life forever I will never be comfortable, as I am afraid of closing my eyes just to go to sleep.

     

  • Micah Ramirez - They held this for me until I was ready...
    Micah Ramirez - They held this for me until I was ready...

    Micah Ramirez (They/Them)

    They held this for me until I was ready...

    Painting

    48" x 36"

    $3,000.00

    There was a secret hidden door that would appear under the stairs or in the concrete walls of the back room when I dreamed. I would enter and it would be filled with small precious objects, fossils or heirlooms or jewels or tiny clay vessels. I would inspect them all, in awe, and try to bring an object through the hidden doorway. The objects could not cross the threshold and would disappear as I stepped into the light.

    I had to move back into that house as a young adult, and I questioned what had even happened there. Maybe it was all in my head, and I was a monster. I couldn’t stand to sleep in my old room and moved a mattress into that back room.

    One night, they allowed me to bring the object across the threshold and I understood why they had held it for me for so long. I awoke, 15 years later, in the same spot where I had just stood as a small child in a pale blue dress.

    It was time to go. I was not the monster.

     

    Website: https://micahramirez.com/

  • Miranda Tanner - The Swan & The Dinosaur
    Miranda Tanner - The Swan & The Dinosaur

    Miranda Tanner

    The Swan & The Dinosaur

    Abstract acrylic on canvas

    16" x 8"

    $225.00

     

    Opposites attract. This is true.

    The Swan & the dinosaur, they just knew.

    That it was a strained fit.

    Like a tiny puzzle, you simply can’t get.

    Or a shoe that doesn’t quite fit.


    Opposites attract.

    Is this good?

    Stay within this love…I should?

    Broken, shattered & resisting truth.

    Love is wasted on the youth?

    Patterns, cruelty & toxic ‘love’,

    Makes me want to be a dove.

    The Swan enchanted, proud & wild,

    Had her voice dulled like a child.

    The dinosaur bold, cocky & verbal,

    Made the Swan hide like a little turtle.


    Vibrant colors set me free,

    Let me express & be my best me.

    Blending colors, make them sing,

    Brings the brightness to the darkest thing.

  • Morgan DeVillier - No Means Know Me As I Am, A Human Being
    Morgan DeVillier - No Means Know Me As I Am, A Human Being

    Morgan DeVillier (She/Her/They/Them)

    No Means Know Me As I Am, A Human Being

    Painting

    28”x36”

    $1,200.00

    I am here as me

    To certain eyes, I am here as she

    She means theirs,

    Belonging to whoever claims her

    They see her color,

    And ask her what she is.

    I say, “I am human and no you may not touch”

    But they indulge

    Because She is theirs

    When I say “No

    I am not an object

    And No Means No”

    They laugh and

    Laugh

    “No Means Know Me As I Am,

    A Human Being”

    And they laugh

    And when I say “No,

    No Means No”

    They laugh

     

    Website: Morgandevillierarts.com

    Instagram Page: @moed_studio

  • Ocuilin - Mangosta
    Ocuilin - Mangosta

    Ocuilin (They/Them)

    Mangosta

    Markers/color pencil

    20" x 16"

    $170.00

    As the years pass, the memory of him fades away. So I thought. Because of him, I fear the winter chills, dark rooms, loud noises, and certain textures.

    As the years pass, the memory of him fades away.

    I know this because I love who I am, how I dress, who I love, what I eat, and what I can create.

    I reach my hand out to the viewer, to myself, to take every bad moment and turn it into power—to shine above all and be better than your abuser, allowing the world to see that their venom had no life-ending effect on you. It may have made you ill for a moment, but you are immune to any more venom in life. While they live life trying to hide in a blanket, you and I can live and do more.

    When staring at the painting, where do your eyes get drawn first? The blinding unknown yellow? The body of a woman? The eyes of fear? The deep blues below? Or the humans in blankets? The mediums I used for this piece were simply markers and color pencils; it doesn’t take much to tell a story.

     

    Instagram Page: @Ocuilin_art

  • Olivia Dorencz - Tryst
    Olivia Dorencz - Tryst

    Olivia Dorencz (She/They)

    Tryst

    Painting

    12" x 12"

    $200.00

    Tryst is about trying to reclaim my sexuality. Sometimes fantasy is easier.

     

    Website: punkratart.com

    Facebook Page: facebook.com/punkratart

    Instagram Page: @punkratart

  • Olivia Lois - you knew
    Olivia Lois - you knew

    Olivia Lois (She/They)

    you knew

    Mixture of photography and written work

    16" x 20"

    $120.00

    Repeatedly sexually assaulted by my father - lasting a year from the age of 13-14. Now, at the age of 22, his memory still creeps into my everyday life and relationships. This free-verse and self-portrait perfectly encapsulate how it felt to be 13 already struggling with natural bodily and hormonal changes while also navigating this incredibly difficult and confusing situation.

    My experience greatly influences my art as I heal from what I fell victim to while embracing my role as a survivor.

     

    Website: https://olsorenson02.myportfolio.com/hello

  • Phoenix Lacey - What I Lost to the Waters
    Phoenix Lacey - What I Lost to the Waters

    Phoenix Lacey (She/They)

    What I Lost to the Waters

    Film and Digital Photography, Watercolor, Uncollage, Metallic Photography Paper

    11" x 17"

    $200.00

    This mixed media piece is a visual expression of the loss of a sense of self that happens when boundaries have been violently violated, resulting in a schism of the psyche. 

    To cope in this moment, the soul goes through a little death and is forced to leave the body in attempt to remain intact. This piece is an illustration of the antagonizing dissociation that follows long after sensual assault, as the body has been deemed an unsafe place for the soul to reside. 

    In my experience, without deep somatic work alongside emotional processing, part of the soul feels suspended in limbo and the wound between body and spirit widens. 

    A part of me was lost to the waters that night, a forceful offering to a god I do not worship or consider sacred. Every time I visit a body of water, I see an image of a former self staring back at me still trapped under violent waves of emotion. I leave them an offering of cedar or tobacco, and tell them we can never be made un-whole or unholy

     

    Instagram Page: @artemisia.panacea

  • Qiana Glaze - They Us We are
    Qiana Glaze - They Us We are

    Qiana Glaze (Ms.)

    They Us We are

    Painting

    48" ×30"

    It could be a male it could be a female either the way the blood is the same.

     

    Instagram Page: For Your 3rd Eye Creations

  • Rebecca Beach - ISOLATION
    Rebecca Beach - ISOLATION

    Rebecca Beach

    ISOLATION

    Acrylic on wrapped canvas

    36" x 36"

    $1,700.00

    no more violence

    trapped

    alone

    fear

    can't speak

    locked away

    I no longer have friends

  • Ria Swapp - Self Immolation
    Ria Swapp - Self Immolation

    Ria Swapp (I/They/ She)

    Self Immolation

    Painting

    24" x 18"

    The swarm of spiders represents complex & creeping negative beliefs. Trauma gave awful lessons, teaching dysfunction & isolation. The bites of this credence are venomous.

    Exposure initiated healing, shedding light, burning away webs of deception. To overcome fear of flame & react, to incite a fight back, to evoke change, a spark is needed. Ashes may fertilize growth. The new form is galvanized by fire.

     

    Instagram Page: instagram.com/ria.the.belle.arts/

  • Roddy MacInnes - My Trauma, an Egg
    Roddy MacInnes - My Trauma, an Egg

    Roddy MacInnes (He/Him)

    My Trauma, an Egg

    Photography

    16" x 20"

    $500.00

    Fifty years ago, I was being sexually abused. When I began working with a psychotherapist twenty-six years later, trauma was an impenetrable wall. Miraculously, the wall transformed into an egg. Still there, but now it's negotiable.

     

    Website: https://roddymac.com/home.html

    Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/roddy.macinnes

    Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/weeroddy

  • Roke'Aker Galleria - Finding My Heart
    Roke'Aker Galleria - Finding My Heart

    Roke'Aker Galleria (He/Him)

    Finding My Heart

    My photography and digital artwork

    20" x 30"

    Sold

    Roke Aker's remarkable journey in "Finding My Heart," focusing on healing and resilience in the face of sexual trauma, serves as a powerful testament to the human spirit's capacity for recovery and transformation. Roke’s authenticity has guided him towards reclaiming his life and rebuilding his self-respect through creative pursuits, which provide him with a safe haven and a sense of purpose in gardening, art, and writing.


    Art became wings on which he could soar, Each stroke a release, a soft opening door, In the rhythm of writing, he found his refrain, A symphony rising from echoes of pain.
    With every sunrise, he finds his own light,
    No longer a fragment lost in the night,
    Authenticity blooms in the garden of mind,
    In the tapestry woven, his truth now defined.  
    So here’s to the journey, the scars and the fight,
    To the heart that emerges from the depths of the night,
    In resilience, he stands, and with every beat,
    He celebrates life— a narrative sweet.  
    In finding his heart, he’s reborn and alive,
    A testament forged in the flames to thrive.

     

  • Sakiynah R. Wise - Wrung Out!
    Sakiynah R. Wise - Wrung Out!

    Sakiynah R. Wise (She/Her)

    Wrung Out!

    Painting

    16" x 12"

    $300.00

    “Wrung Out!” Speaks to one of the most marginalized group, with children and differently abled bodies also being unseen in general. It’s a complex painting. New Years 2022 I was sexually assaulted. I couldn’t sleep without having nightmares, I’d hear him laughing in my head. During the assault I dissociated, I felt I was under water. I couldn’t breathe and all I heard was his fucking laughs, laughing at me while stealing from me, breaking me, and was stuck under water. I don’t know how I got home but I did. The imagery and his laugh tormented me for months. 

    I got help with The Blue Bench and they encouraged me to paint again. I painted 3 paintings in one night. His voice and the nightmares stopped. I poured it all in my work. From time to time I dream that I’ll see him. The dream is always at a fair and he’s holding hands with a woman. I scream unrelentingly trying to warn her. Everyone stops, they finally hear me, believe me. But it’s just a dream. 

    With this new presidency of 47: a predator and rapist. I’m reminded that even though 92% of Black women stood up. We were still drowned out. Drowning watching everyone laugh, not heard though your screaming.

    It speaks to the way Black women are the least believed in a society and world that has and continues to benefit from our labor and compassion. I was listening to a clip of a white man who was told by his mother that if he was ever in trouble to seek out a Black woman. Though this may be endearing on one level, it’s disheartening on another. As Black women are always the front runners, but simultaneously invisible.

    They take pieces of us and tell us to wait our turn, to tone it down. Told that our burdens aren’t as important.

    It’s no wonder that with the statistics on rape victims coming forward already being so low, and not believed. Black women are at higher risk of assault because people don’t believe us. This knowledge that we are less than makes us bigger targets for abuse. In fact they use language that we’re too strong to have let that happen. 

    I named this piece “Wrung Out!” because as a Black woman who was sexualized at 6yrs old and have unfortunately had to deal with many sexual assaults in my 36yrs of life. We’re tired, tired of being ripped into pieces , tired of having to cut ourselves into smaller bites to be digested. Tired of giving all of our rhythm and having to sit alone with our blues.

    This is a depiction of how it feels to be a Black woman in a world that chews you up and spits you out only to ask you to give more.

     

    Instagram Page: @kiy.nah.sa

  • Sam Hauser - Eos Brings the Dawn
    Sam Hauser - Eos Brings the Dawn

    Sam Hauser (She/Her)

    Eos Brings the Dawn

    Painting

    22.5" x 20.25"

    $1,500.00

    The goddess of the dawn, Eos, is depicted in heavenly expressionism with the colors of early day swirling around her finely rendered form. Real gold and silver pigments are added in accents and, also, mixed in with the paint to make the figure glow.

     

    Website: www.samhauserart.com

    Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/samhauserart

    Instagram Page: samhauser.art

  • Sam Shepard - no self portrait
    Sam Shepard - no self portrait

    Sam Shepard (She/Her) 

    no self portrait

    Photography

    11" x 14"

    $80.00

    I chose my self portrait because as you can see I stripped myself of my tattoos and any identifying marks (completely losing your sense of self and worth), I took off my head (lost my head) and replaced it with a mirror symbolizing trying to reflect someone elses image of me- their image for me- losing me. 

    “I don’t like women with tattoos” “I don’t like women with nose rings” “I like you better with brown hair” “why do you wear makeup who are you doing that for?” eventually you’re just a reflection of what they made you, a reflection of the things they do/say….that is until you heal. 

    It took me years and lots of therapy and I had a resource organization like The Blue Bench back home aid me every step of the way and would not be where I am without organizations like such existing. 

    Organizations like the Blue Bench are vital to recovery for survivors. 

     

    Instagram Page: @samgotframed

  • Samy Kirby - Anger
    Samy Kirby - Anger

    Samy Kirby (She/Her)

    Anger

    Painting

    12" x 9"

    She was created by the anger that often follows feeling anxious, powerless, or triggered. She has learned to harness that anger and turn it into power. She is not afraid to use her power to seek justice, express rage, or cause destruction.

  • Sarah Lovett - Self Portrait: A Body With Wings
    Sarah Lovett - Self Portrait: A Body With Wings

    Sarah Lovett (She/Her/They/Them)

    Self Portrait: A Body With Wings

    Painting

    22inch diameter circle, extends to 32 inches from wing to tip

    $300.00

    Woman, Body.

    A body scarred, scared.

    Not safe if it’s seen too much.

    Not valued if it’s seen too little.

    A body whose ownership is debatable if she doesn’t hide her curves.

    A body asking for it to be commented upon.

    Mistakenly giving consent just by sleeping, or just by walking.

    Once apologizing and a body blamed.

    But a body loved and a body hurt but a body stronger, a body not apologizing anymore.

    A body painting, a body growing wings. Struggling but speaking. Taking up space. A body's courage glows ruby.

    A body carrying her from joyful experience to joyful experience.

     

    Instagram Page: @paletteandstone

  • SettleDownStudio - Holding History
    SettleDownStudio - Holding History

    SettleDownStudio (She/Her)

    Holding History

    Watercolor Painting

    8" x 10"

    Sold

    Holding History represents the complex tension that exists within joy and trauma held within a lived experience. Vibrant moments blended with muted tones symbolize the coexistence of beauty and pain. It embodies the “good-bad, bad-good” duality of life; punctuated with staccato-like notes in music— sharp, brief, and impactful. It speaks to the ways in which our bodies, like the earth, hold both the scars of past wounds and the potential for healing and growth.

     

    Instagram Page: @settledownstudio

  • Sharlene - My War
    Sharlene - My War

    Sharlene (She/Her)

    My War

    Gouache watercolor on canvas

    16" x 20"

    $300.00

    The tears from the war of my tragedy.

  • Stephanie March - Braun’s Stall
    Stephanie March - Braun’s Stall

    Stephanie March (She/Her)

    Braun’s Stall

    To the courageous women who gently scooped my broken, bloody body off that bathroom floor, thank you for giving me a safe space to land. These words are all of ours.

     

    Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/share/15HcHJrDbk/?mibextid=wwXIfr

    Instagram Page: @thestephaniemarch

  • Tori Price - Grief to Glimmers
    Tori Price - Grief to Glimmers

    Tori Price (She/Her)

    Grief to Glimmers

    Mixed Media Collage

    40" x 30"

    $1,111.00

    This piece represents going through the transformational portal of grief.

    From the blurry repetition of depressed, brain-foggy days, where it's difficult to move from the weight of grief and memories of the past, we try to see outside of our familiar grey days to find a little movement, fire and hope.

    Rising to find more light is difficult and takes courage. Bits of fire come with water/tears, but processing emotion is chosen over numbness. Heavy days are mixed with light moments, with the opportunity to practice holding both dark/grief and light/joy together.

    After much practice of holding both simultaneously, resiliency increases, and there is more ability to seek glimmers (small moments that trigger positive feelings). The more glimmers are sought after, the more the brain finds them; joy is let in bit by bit. Although joy now feels different than before grief, an integrated understanding that the full spectrum of grief and joy can be felt all at once can lead to healing and freedom.

     

    Website: toripriceart.com

    Instagram Page: instagram.com/toripriceart

  • Vashti Mims - Brown Paper Bag
    Vashti Mims - Brown Paper Bag

    Vashti Mims (She/Her)

    Brown Paper Bag

    Painting

    11" x 14"

    $350.00

    This painting was inspired by a hurtful comment I received as a child: a boy said he would only have sex with me if I had a bag over my face. Those words reduced me to my body and ignored the beauty of my heart and mind.

    For years, it shaped how I saw myself, but this work reflects my journey of reclaiming my worth. It’s a message to other brown girls who’ve endured similar dehumanizing words: we are not what they say we are. We are powerful, worthy, and more than their shallow judgments.

    Together, we rise above.

     

    Facebook Page: Queen Vashti Studios

    Instagram Page: Queenvashtistudios

  • Virginia Hollinger - Figments of Spirit
    Virginia Hollinger - Figments of Spirit

    Virginia Hollinger (She/Her)

    Figments of Spirit

    Painting

    16" x 20"

    $100.00

    This is a piece about accepting chaos and accepting the power you have over it.

     

    Facebook Page: Facebook.com/astralnavigation

  • Zeynep Nihan Şarlak - Unseen
    Zeynep Nihan Şarlak - Unseen

    Zeynep Nihan Şarlak (She/Her)

    Unseen

    Painting

    15" x 22"

    $150.00

    To be unseen is to exist in silence. To speak and not be heard, to suffer and not be acknowledged. This piece reflects the quiet ache of being overlooked, even by those closest to us.

     

    Instagram Page: @nihansdreamscapes

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