RE:collection centers on collecting as a creative act. Three artists collect what’s been cast off—by time, by taste, by necessity—and transform it through processes that move beyond painting. Collecting becomes both method and meaning: a way to reassemble stories of self, culture, and land. Here, the disregarded becomes deliberate—an alchemy of gathering and transformation. The work shows how what we collect reshapes what we value.

Kelly Williams works with beeswax and fire, embedding peat ash, carbon pigments, and gathered waters—including holy well water—into layered surfaces where myth, history, and the female form press through abstraction into presence.
Helen C. White gathers archival ephemera—old letters, photographs, vintage magazine imagery, and found papers—layering and revising them into works that chronicle re-membering, where personal history meets cultural trace.
Myrna Tatar gathers the everyday evidence of consumption and use—street-found scraps and small objects—and re-forms them into quirky, intuitive constructions that balance humor, tenderness, and sharp observation.

My recent art residency in Ireland was a transformative experience, blending ancient landscapes and myth with contemporary environmental concerns. Working with materials like peat ash and holy water, I explored the fragile beauty of Ireland’s bog wetlands and drew parallels to the Pacific Northwest. This journey not only deepened my artistic practice but also enriched my teaching, inspiring new approaches to environmental advocacy through creative expression. Now, I’m excited to share these insights with my local community, fostering dialogue and action through art. Special thanks to the Regional Arts and Culture Council for making this project possible!

During my art residency in Ireland, I explored the connection between landscape and the human experience through both figurative and abstract works. Using materials like peat ash and holy water, my figurative sculptures embodied the strength of women, drawing parallels between the scars of the land and the struggles women have faced throughout history. As my work evolved into environmental abstraction, I focused on the fragility of natural ecosystems like Ireland’s bogs and the forests of the Pacific Northwest, incorporating ash from these landscapes into my pieces. This experience expanded my creative practice and inspired my teaching, where I now encourage students to engage with important environmental and cultural issues through innovative materials. Many thanks to the Regional Arts and Culture Council for supporting this transformative project!

Success, struggle and the art of being enough: Don’t compare your insides to other peoples outsides.

Essence of Mulranny Celtic Convergence IEA Retreat, Olive Stack Gallery Residency in Listowel Ireland and a little something extra!

It all begins with an idea.