Artist: Mikaela Perry
Show Dates: November 2 - 11, 2023
Opening Reception: Private
Closing Reception: Saturday, November 11 - 6 to 8pm OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
All other times: By Appointment Only - Request a private viewing via email at hello@solas.studio

Artist Bio
Mikaela Perry is a visual artist and fifth-generation farmer exploring and celebrating contemporary agriculture and food systems through oil paintings. After her family's historic barn tragically burned, symbolizing the personal and professional end of an agricultural era, she dedicated her artistic practice to telling farmers' stories and elevating rural lifestyles and places. From 2016-2018, she lived and worked in rural Tanzania where she led multiple youth art classes and a community-designed mural project.

“Memories in Bloom is a collection of oil paintings that portray farm animals overlaid with flowers, representing both a eulogy and a celebration of life of the animals and the farm that shaped me into the artist I am today. Inspired by the loss of my family's farm, this collection represents my experiences as the last generation in my family to steward land. Though I never owned my family’s farm, the land still occupies every corner of my mind and heart. These paintings are my way of creating a tangible recording of this experience.

Through this collection, I honor the traditions and values that have been passed down through my family for generations, and invite those who may be multiple generations removed from agriculture and farming to also reflect on their own cultural ties and relationships with animals and the land.

Each painting tells a story of life and death, growth and decay, and the beauty that can be found in both. They aim to inspire others to connect with the land and the animals that sustain us, to honor the traditions and cultures that have shaped our relationship with land and animals, and to recognize the beauty and fragility of our farmland.” - Mikaela Perry