Grief strikes as an unavoidable emotional journey to face. Yet within all of the anguish, there is beauty and growth to be found. Seattle-based artists Amyia Chea-Carrol and Madi Stephens portray this emotional journey, allowing grief to be a stepping stone into the next chapter of life. Their exhibition, currently on view at Seattle University’s Vachon Gallery, “Through Ashes, a Garden”, takes on the theme of how loss can lead to rejuvenation.
Paramount to the exhibit, Chea-Carrol’s piece “The Garden Remembers My Heart” works with a variety of media to allow viewers to experience her growth. Centering around a mirror, the mixed-media garden constructed of botanical elements serves as a memorial to her sibling. The plants represent the cycle of grief: when one thing passes from this life, it has the opportunity to grow and flourish again.
A sign that says ‘I really appreciate the time and effort we both put into this.’ Artwork called “ 3-Month Rule” (Fatima Ali)
Along with living elements, Chea-Carrol includes multiple inanimate elements, including cyanotype paper lanterns with photos of both her home and her sibling.
“[The light inside the lantern] is a symbol of resurgence in my life, although I’m still grieving, there is a light in both him and I that lives on, intertwined,” Chea-Carrol said.
Stephens’ pieces combine photography and reclaimed objects to consider a different perspective on grief. Focusing more on interpersonal relationships than Chea-Carrol’s work, Stephens explores the changes within herself as a result of lost connections and how they have fueled her art. Although both artists use nature as a focal point, Stephens focuses on the industrial side, appreciating the gritty and vibrant culture encapsulating Capitol Hill after dark.
Stephen’s work captures the deep yearning for connection that is intrinsically part of the human experience.
“The need for connection is apparent, especially in a queer community. A sense of home is highly cultivated in Capitol Hill, present in nightlife, whether it be bars or clubs; it’s truly just a place for people to build connections,” Stephens said.
“Growing Pains,” one of Stephens’ digital design works, combines illustrative quotes as well as duotone style imagery expressing her inner thoughts relating to a craving for connection. Although not focused on a specific feeling, Stephens views “Growing Pains” as a foundational piece to the rest of her artwork, which utilizes reclaimed materials, similar to her reclaimed words for her work.
“Pulse,” a collage-style work, features a flowing streamer that moves when interacted with. Stephens’ describes it as an activation by people who choose to connect with it, demonstrating the change when two people interact. The movement may be small or large, depending on the effort one chooses to exert, illustrating the crucial meaning of the piece—the more one chooses to involve themselves with another, the greater the effect.
A shoe connected to words that say ‘take care. Painting called “Sentiment”
(Fatima Ali)
One of her most unique pieces, “Sentiment,” utilizes a knit textile with an unweaved end, spelling out “take care.” Stephens describes this piece as an unraveling of a connection. The base is completely knit, which unravels to words, then progresses back into its original state: a string. Words left unsaid fade away and unravel as time progresses, and as the relationship ends, a heart begins to heal.
The pieces can be viewed at Vachon Gallery in Seattle U’s Fine Arts building,
along with supplementary pieces not included in the exhibit itself. Completed by students just a year younger than Stephens and Chea-Carrol, the pieces focus on different types of media, similar to “Through Ashes, a Garden,” but completed during an on-site residency in Leavenworth, Wash.
“[The residency] is a step in the direction of the exhibited artists, working on honing their skills in an exclusive program over the summer,” Art Chair and Professor Trung Pham said.
As the two artists create gardens and landscapes of regrowth through grief, they bid farewell to this chapter while they set the stage for their next.
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