"To whom do I owe the power behind my voice?" includes work by Natessa Amin, Dara Haskins, Olive Hayes, Olivia Jia, Amy Lee Ketchum, Anne Minich, Dindga McCannon, Nazanin Moghbeli, Naomi Momoh, Marta Sanchez, Symone Salib & Suzanne Seesman, and is co-curated by Tally De Orellana.

 

"The mothers in my life are the most powerful voices I hear. I often think about the creative energy and spaces held by the women in my family. The kitchen is a unifying space where cooking became a vessel for creativity, joy, and love. I started this painting in my mother’s kitchen, where I contemplated the work women have done and that gave me my power to create. I owe the power behind my voice to the strong women who have guided me, mentored me, and loved me." - Natessa Amin

 

"All things in creation have a secret - everything has a force in their life to create in that secret. If your mind is blind to the possibility of the secret then your eyes will be blind to the opportunity to receive it." - Dara Haskins

 

"I owe the power behind my voice to Chelsea, my partner, whose love has given me the confidence to be proud of my identity, and whose sweetness inspires me to paint scenes of our joy." - Olive Hayes

 

"To my mother, my chosen sisters, my younger self." - Olivia Jia

 

"I owe the power behind my voice to the people I care about and those around me who inspire me with their love, observations, and expressions of humanity to create images and stories that feel alive and sincere." - Amy Lee Ketchum

 

"My power comes from a reasonably clear idea of who I am, of what I want, what my role in my life and community is, of my motivations and direction, of a sense of what kind of world I want to be in and the kind of people I wish for my family, friends and colleagues. In sum, my power derives from a life-long effort of self awareness." - Anne Minich

 

"I believe the power behind my voice is “the Spirit “ and the stories of the lives and careers of early African American Women artists (1887-1905) upon whose shoulders I stand."  - Dindga McCannon

 

"The power behind my voice comes from my identity as an Iranian woman, from a rich tradition of Persian language, calligraphy, music, poetry— all of which are woven into the daily fabric of life in Iran, where I was raised. It is shaped by the artistry of my mother, a calligrapher, and the practices of my father, a musician and physician." - Nazanin Moghbeli

"I owe the power behind my voice to my body. She carried me, she struggled with me, she danced with me. She is the vessel that holds my voice, all the power therein belongs to her." - Naomi Momoh

 

"My narratives bookmark events relating to my  Mexican American culture, its history, and literature.  Recording these events validates everyone’s active presence in the world." - Marta Sanchez

 

"As a person who spent most of their life feeling as though they didn’t have the space to verbally express themself, it was through actions where I found my freedom and voice. I believe so much of change is rooted in language and how we frame our world verbally, but sometimes words are not enough. For me it’s through action that creates the power behind my voice." - Symone Salib

 

"To Nunie reclining at ninety, my sister, ED and ZR and all the gardeners, coworkers, collaborators, book club readers, to FG with hiccups, gummed bread crust in hand, drawing on the fabric, demanding we stop working and start dancing, singing and hand holding. To all chaotic good ones demonstrating the crucial contrast between fearful subjects and hopeful ones moving through the world giving how-to demos on self-preservation becoming self-extension." - Suzanne Seesman

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