What are you doing on Friday, May 8th from 5-7pm? I’ll be in Providence at the opening for my first ever solo show. It’s in a beautiful space at a gallery attached to a church. Normally solo shows are planned years in advance (I have one next summer, for example), but here’s the back story of how this one just kind of happened.
Although I had traipsed for miles up and down the roads surrounding Thayer St. as a teenager and young adult, it wasn’t until this year that the universe delivered me to these particular coordinates on Angell St. — twice in one weekend for unrelated events. In January, a friend and fellow artist Caroline Anderson told me about The Gallery at Central. (Her art is going up there this month.) So, I popped into the next exhibition opening to take in the art, see the space, and meet the curator. Such good vibes.
Months prior, I had connected with Alysha of Hello Pearl Interiors. She is one of those people who is just a vector of positive energy. In chatting about art, activism, sustainability, community connection, and a number of other things, she mentioned the podcast Local Threads. It’s based in Boston and although its focus is local arts, it has a strong undercurrent of supporting consignment, thrifting, and bartering. Perfect combo, right? An early episode featured Amy Hebb of Second Serve Resale. Amy is another vector of positive energy. Her shop Second Serve donates 85% (not a typo) of all the proceeds to charity, chosen by the customer. That is some deep generosity. She also facilitates a bimonthly sewing circle honoring community mending and skill sharing, helping to divert clothing from the waste stream. It is a community I wanted to sit in, but my calendar had other plans (pun intended). It took months before I made it there.
I had no idea when I attended the art opening at the gallery on that Friday evening in January that I’d be right back at the same church the following morning for my first of many meetings of the sewing circle. What are the odds? If you’re one to believe in signs from the universe or divine intervention, you can appreciate how special this felt. Each time I’ve returned to the sewing circle, I walk through the gallery soaking in the beautiful art that changes out monthly. I feel incredibly honored to have my work going up on those walls for the month of May.
If you’re local and can make it to my opening on May 8th, it would mean a lot to me. I think there are enough links above to explore if any of the people I’ve mentioned have piqued your interest. Next month I’ll send out the link promoting my exhibition.
How much of our life do we actually plan, and how much joy do we get when the stars align and deliver us plans beyond what we could have come up with ourselves?
___
Here is info on my upcoming show:
- Spaces, CAA @ Canal Gallery, Cambridge, MA; March 4 – April 15, 2026;
- Solo Exhibition, The Gallery at Central, Providence, RI; May 6, 2026 – June 2, 2026;
*Opening Friday, May 8, 2026 from 5-7pm
If you were forwarded this email by a friend, you can sign up to get my monthly newsletter ​here​. To read past issues, go ​here​.
Until next time,
joç
​
​