Arts Night Out: Art Crawl MICA Edition at Northampton Center for the Arts
Celebrate MICA Artists during Arts Night Out Northampton!
Join us for a vibrant evening of art and music celebrating the creativity of MICA artists. In a special reception at Northampton Center for the Arts and Anchor House of Artists, discover diverse and captivating works. Special performance by Elena Ciampa and Friends.
Read below about our special evening at Northampton Center for the Arts. Click here for the Anchor House of Artist’s Arts Night Out event.
Motherhood Unbound: Navigating Identity, Ambivalence, and Resilience
This exhibition challenges the sanitized image of motherhood, revealing a complex spectrum of emotions, experiences, and transformations. The artists confront themes of loss, self-sacrifice, societal expectations, physical and mental strain, and the struggle to maintain personal identity amidst the all-consuming role of mother.
The artworks range from intimate reflections within a handmade book to bold sculptures exploring the impossible demands of motherhood. We encounter explorations of postpartum mental health, critiques of domesticity, surveillance of mothers, and the blurred boundaries between self and child.
Yet, amidst these challenges, a powerful thread of resilience emerges. Artists find their voices through painting, mixed-media, photography, and installation work. They offer unflinching honesty about motherhood’s complexities, fearlessly exploring the ambivalence that society often silences. Ultimately, they celebrate the creative power that thrives despite, and even because of, the transformative journey of motherhood.
Key Themes:
- Loss and Longing: Artists grapple with loss – loss of self, loss of a past life, and the profound fear that accompanies pregnancy and motherhood.
- Ambivalence and Societal Pressure: The exhibit exposes the conflict between the idealized image of motherhood and the raw, often unspoken, emotions surrounding it.
- Physical and Mental Strain: Artworks visualize the toll of pregnancy and postpartum mental health struggles, highlighting the lack of societal support.
- Transformation and Resilience: Despite the challenges, artists assert their creative voices, exploring motherhood as a catalyst for personal growth and defying unrealistic expectations.
This visual art exhibit features artists from across the United States, including Boston, Springfield, Northampton, Kansas City, and California.
Visual artists exhibiting at Northampton Center for the Arts
Myrrh Brooks | Nancy Bulma Fields | Mayté Castillo | Jill Danenberg | Helen Ellis | Laura Green | Jane Hesser | Lyn Horan| Jane Keddy | Catherine LeComte-Lecce | Lynn Lovell | Isabelle Marantz/IzzyLightScapes| Nilou Moochhala | Emily Mulder | April Powell | Eva Pushkova | Carla E. Reyes | Amber Scoon | Jamie Tara | Ellen Wetmore | Esther S. White | Cynthia Zeman |
Image: Painting by Cynthia Zeman, Woman on Couch, 52×58, Oil.
Featured Live Music: Elena Ciampa
Experience the soulful sounds of Elena Ciampa, a pillar of the MICA community since the inaugural MICAfest. Her thoughtful songwriting, melodic arrangements, and expressive jazz vocals will transport you on a captivating musical journey.
A MICA Success Story
Elena’s artistic dreams were given wings at the first MICAfest, where she shared the stage with her 8-piece jazz band. Celebrate her continued growth and be inspired by her dedication to her craft as she shares new music from her current collection, “A Wind in the Door.”
Explore Unique Visual Art
Mingle with fellow art enthusiasts as you explore the work of featured visual artists. Discover a range of styles and mediums that showcase the breadth of MICA’s artistic talent.
[The] inaugural MICAfest was the lever that lifted my dream (8 musicians heavy!) through my mind and out into the world, onto a beautiful stage and into a loving arts community. What more could an emerging artist ask for??!
Visual Art Exhibition
A Gallery Sneak Peak
Cynthia Zeman, Woman on Couch
Oil, 52×58.
Ellen Wetmore, Carried Away.
Bronze hanging sculpture, 2009, 8x8x16. Image courtesy of the artist.
Lyn Horan, The Watchers and the Weepers
35” (W) x 47″ (H), Watercolor and ink on paper.
Nancy Bulma Fields, MOTHERHOOD, Haley Meara
16″ x 20″, 2023, digital print.
Catherine Lecomte-Lecce, Aftermath
2024, acrylic panels suspended from the ceiling in a line.
Mayté Castillo, Untitled
2023, 18″x24″, Gouache + Acrylic on Paper.
Eva Pushkova, Beacon View
Wool hand-tufted rug, 2024.
Juli Kirk, Mother and Child
46″x58″, Oil on Canvas.
April Spring Powell, Snack Attack Apparel
Mother and Daughters raincoats, upcycled materials.
This is a free event. Let us know you’re coming by RSVPing below.
M/others Institute for Collaboration and Art (MICA) is a mother-led, Western Massachusetts organization strictly dedicated to supporting m/other artists. Your contributions as a paying ticket member are a ticket to saying, yes, I support artist m/others. As a small organization, we appreciate the support of people like you. We thank you for making a tax-deductible donation to MICA to support m/other artists.
This festival is a truly unique celebration. If you know of anywhere else doing a month-long festival supporting, spotlighting, and bringing into the conversation 80 m/other artists, please let us know! Seriously.
VIP Tickets and Monthly passes are also available.
