We are honored to hold space in our Apothecary this month for ACOLYTE, a body of work by Johanna Christiansen. Our gallery is open to the public Thursday-Saturday 12-4.

Acolyte

Light the candles.
Prepare the alter. 
Gather.
Pray.

You may walk in darkness but should never forget that you are the light.

Peace in ritual, conscious effort, action.

Creation as an act of rebellion, as a form of hope, a way to bring beauty into this world shrouded in darkness.

Grief. Grief. What do I do with all this grief? 

Redirect, make, obsess. 
Let the spirit guide.
Create. Soften. Heal.

If I heal, you heal. We all heal together?

Shadow work. Illuminate the void. The void that we all shout into. 

If you shine your light where and when you can, one day we’ll all dance in the light.

Process

Acolyte was birthed during the pandemic when Johanna found a meditative practice in branding ropes from single-use plastics. These ropes found their way into her studio where she played with light to cast shadows. The result is a complex, contemplative series of paintings that remind us of power tending to light and hope in dark times.

Johanna Christianson

Johanna Christianson is a self-taught, Seattle-based artist working primarily with oil on canvas and collage on paper. She draws inspiration from spirit, 20th century abstract expressionists, anatomy, and landscape. She often works intuitively, but sometimes, and in the case of her current exhibit, incorporates the use of “tools” to create her compositions. Color, texture, and form are her guiding principles. 

Experience more of Johanna’s work on johannachristianson.com and @electricmood