Self-Care: A Mental Health Journey Through COVID 19 Exhibition Opens October 12

Self Care: A Mental Health Journey Through COVID-19, an exhibition dedicated to mental health as it relates to COVID 19, will be on view in Meredith’s Frankie G. Weems Gallery October 12- November 7, 2021.

The exhibition features Julia Caston, a practicing artist with a diagnosed anxiety disorder, who creates empathetic experiences, events, and objects.

Self Care features two 30-foot scrolls representing a living timeline encompassing Caston’s experience with mental health and personal reflection. With the completion of her most ambitious drawing project, Caston developed a nuanced way of coping with the realities of COVID-19 and the impact on her mental health. As an artist previously driven by in-person interactions, Caston adapted her creative process through the virtual world by communicating digitally with her peers. This project resulted in collaborative coloring pages and a soft sculpture installation that reflect the artists’ unfiltered thoughts and emotions during the pandemic. 

Meredith College’s Gallery Director Molly Hull and Caston expanded the scope of the coloring pages project to include local artists and Meredith students. A diverse set of ten artists were chosen in an attempt to create a sense of relatability and connection with the larger community during these unprecedented times. The participating artists include: Clarence Heyward, Rebekah Evans, Jasmine Best, Yuko Taylor, King Godwin, Lydia Gunn, Kristin Morin, Elizabeth Kemple, Kasey Vandenboom and Isabel Ruiz. 

For Caston, this exhibition documents the rediscovery of her personal joy and how it relates to her art-making process. The events associated with this exhibition promote self-care and mental health awareness. Each event is designed to cater to the surrounding community, both on and off campus. For registration links and more information about these events, visit gallery.meredith.edu/

The exhibition includes accessibility with the use of audio descriptions of artwork, materials for visitors with low vision, tactile experiences, and Braille labels. For more information or to inquire about accommodations, please contact the Gallery Director Molly Hull at hullmary@meredith.edu or (919) 760-8414. 

Meredith College is grateful for Jerry’s Artarama, who provided the mats and frames for the coloring pages. This presentation is funded, in part, by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and North Carolina Arts Agency. Read more about the grant.

Note: The gallery operates on normal hours (Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 2-5 p.m.). A mask must be worn at all times within the space, but pre-registration is not necessary to visit the gallery.