Kelly Williams is such an inspiration to me.Not only can I identify with the emotions of much of her healing journey, but with the desire she has to pay that healing forward through the arts.I had the privilege of talking with Kelly several years back and being able to view some of the "Recovery Panes" created by her students. Her Crossroads project has helped countless homeless youth process & grieve their experiences, affirm their worth and empower them toward a healthy future. Her life and her work as an artist is truly a redemptive story and I'm honored to introduce her to you.
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| "Below The Fault Line" by Kelly Williams |
I am a survivor.
That can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people. Many, if
not most of us are survivors of one form or another. The details of
my own journey no longer seem terribly important to me as they did at
one time. It is the journey that matters to me now.
My childhood was
one that required survival. I did. I thought. But it didn’t end
when I entered “adulthood.” It wasn’t over by a long shot.
I was lost in a
personal hell that kept the memories more real than the people and
activities happening right in front of me. I often didn’t know my
own children when they spoke to me. When I looked down at my hands,
they belonged to another body. I was confused when I saw the
reflection of someone else in the mirror. I would hear myself
speaking across the room and not know that it was my voice. Standing
in my home, I would not know where
I was or when
it was. I was haunted by my past, overwhelmed by the shame and
constant pain. I was exhausted and just wanted it to end.
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| "Redslash" by Kelly Williams |
It didn’t. For
a long time.
Until I found a
voice: A voice that captured my past and my present in a way that
resonated my truth.
I found my voice
in art. I had never painted a day in my life until someone handed me
a paintbrush. Suddenly, the paintings poured out of me. The ability
to articulate without words the paradoxes and layers of my
experience, both past and present, was foundational to my journey out
of the darkness.
I kept painting
and painting and painting. What began as nightmarish images that
overwhelmed me transformed into a language that finally allowed me to
express the deep and complicated layers of my shattered mind and
stolen sanity. I discovered I had developed a powerful visual
expression that finally allowed me to tell my truth without words.
It was the lifeline I clung to and painstakingly climbed until each
breath I took was no longer only a reminder of the pain to be
endured. Painting was hope.
I found to my
surprise my artwork resonated with others. People could see meaning
in my images, saw their own reflection in these wordless spaces.
Those that once believed their voice would forever remain silent now
saw in this process a way to honor and heal their past and move
forward.
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| "Notes On Peace and Acceptance" by Kelly Williams |
My professional
and educational background in psychology and development converged
and I found new ways of expressing my experience on a broader scale,
to help others through social artistry. I started providing
opportunities for individuals to do similar work in a safe and
supportive environment. That grew into creating community projects
that targeted disenfranchised individuals that needed an opportunity
to voice their experience, as a way to help them move forward in
their own lives.
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| Artist Kelly Williams |
My current project, Crossroads, opens on April 3 and will show over
150 pieces of art created by homeless and transitional youth.
Through the use of encaustic painting methods of layered wax and
fire, they have embedded their personal tragedies and hopes within
the layers of the wax. They were able to burn away or bury the words
they have never said aloud for a symbolic release and honoring of
their story. Many of these kids have never felt safe enough to
express the foundational experiences that have put them on the road
they now travel. Respectfully acknowledging their journeys is the
first step in their making choices to change their lives, their
stories, for the better.
As I discovered,
there is great power in knowing that someone has gone before you in
difficult circumstances and has emerged transformed at the other
end. There is profound healing that comes in speaking your
truth and knowing you are understood, accepted and encouraged to move
forward. There is deep affirmation in believing you are
worthy of the time, effort and resources of another human being
interested in your personal journey. The foundation of
healing is about relationship and communication, a willingness to
hold space for another exactly where they are and with deep respect,
stand with them until they can stand on their own. This
is what I now do.
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| Artist Kelly Williams
Bio/Statement
My work is a symbolic narrative process. It
is a progression of disentanglement, a developing of a story, layer
by layer. It is only upon coming closer and becoming intimate does
one experience the intricate textures, subtle imagery, hidden text
and imperfections that make up the whole. Secrets are hidden within
the layers, embedded truths expressed and hidden again for a visceral
journey through the soul. The written word is often used as a
form of layered texture to engage my deeper self and invite the
viewer to do the same.
The use of encaustic painting allows for
the metaphorical layering, burning, burying and exposing that are all
relevant to the deeper meaning of my work. This ancient medium
being used in contemporary visual expression further supports the
timeless messages and questions I am driven to explore
My
work has appeared in multiple galleries, businesses and publications
both locally and nationally. I have a busy studio practice in
Portland Oregon, teaching in my West Burnside Studio. I help
those who wish to explore their inner landscape or work through
specific issues, using encaustic painting as a cathartic medium in
both private and small group sessions. I have developed several
healing arts projects that bring this art form and method to
disenfranchised populations and speak to audiences about how to use
art as a powerful social advocacy tool in our communities.
WEBSITE: http://kellywilliamsart.com/
Crossroads Opening on April 3rd:
Facebook event to Crossroads Project
Review on UNSPEAKABLE at White Space Gallery
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A moving and inspiring story...along with incredible art. Thanks so much for introducing me to Kelly.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by Seth and I'm so glad to be able to introduce you to Kelly!
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