"Heard to be Seen, Seen to be Heard" is an exhibition and collaborative project between Artist Emma Balder and formerly unhoused residents of Saint Francis Apartments (SFA). Balder held three collaborative sessions, featuring dialogue and regenerative art-making, at SFA in September 2024. The residents created a reconstructed painting-turned-sculpture based on Balder’s studio practice - they collectively painted an abstract artwork, then cut it up, rearranged the pieces, and reconfigured them around a boulder-like structure. Alongside this process, they created drawings and writings as an alternative approach to processing hardship. Activities aligned with discussions about residents’ past and current struggles, the emotions associated with them, and determining actions to overcome their challenges. The culminating artwork symbolizes resilience and new understanding: how reframing difficult experiences can be an opportunity for learning, growth, and healing. The project not only addresses the emotional, physical, and financial barriers people face transitioning out of homelessness, but also seeks to recognize the dignity in every human being.

Understudy’s Taste Test pairs Three Primary Artists with Recommended Secondary Artists to create collaborative works showcased in our Window Box Gallery, visible from 14th Street and the light rail. Featuring multimedia installations, sculptures, and augmented reality, this vibrant outdoor exhibition celebrates creativity and mentorship. Explore the power of collaboration as we look toward Understudy's next evolution this spring.

"Botanical Stories" invite visitors to connect with nature through hand dyed textile art created by Maki Teshima. The installation uses silk organza dyed entirely with organic materials sourced from local restaurants, flower shops, and the gardens and kitchens of Maki and her friends. Each hue tells a unique story, reflecting Maki's personal connections to these colors. The transparent fabric layers overlap, revealing new visuals as viewers move through the space, creating an ever-changing display of nature.

Discover Tricia Waddell's "we will be strange," a captivating exhibition that transforms personal memories of alienation into life-size, modern totem-like sculptures. Experience an immersive, dream-like journey that challenges you to confront and connect with the hidden emotions we often keep to ourselves.

Dive into "Cosmographies Imagined", Christine Nguyen's solo exhibition exploring the connection between the microcosm and macrocosm. Encounter otherworldly landscapes shaped by salt crystal sculptures and intricate installations, where ceramic and porcelain pieces inspired by sea life and microscopic forms create a captivating cosmos. Reflect on our place in the universe and the need to care for our environment in this journey of wonder and discovery.