Heather Rippert, Artist

Avant Garde: Remarkable Women in the
Permanent Collection

This exhibit had me steeped in all the things about being a woman. Poignant expressions of womanhood from so many perspectives. I felt safe and at home in this gallery space with these works and the words that accompanied them.

The untitled piece by Mary Proctor at the entrance to the exhibit brought me immediately to tears. Then I read the plaque beside the piece and wept even more as I read her own history. I love that I can feel deeply, even though it’s hard and painful sometimes. It’s a core value of humanity to be able to feel fully, IMO.

I also love to see contemporary women from our art community represented in the permanent collection. BRAVA to every one of you!

It was a beautiful few hours I am grateful for.

Jun Kaneko’s work is phenomenal and transports you if you let it. I was whisked away into some ethereal plane of Jun’s imagination. It feels like an ancient place, yet quiet, playful and simple all at once. Like you have to live a lot to get there somehow. Or maybe that’s just my experience.

Have you been to the show, Silence before Sound? How did Jun’s work make you feel? What did you experience from these wonders of color and magic?