Artist Holly Newvine working in Jill Wells’ studio at Mainframe. (Photo: Brittany Brooke Crow)
By Brittany Brooke Crow
What happens when artists get space, resources and an opportunity to dream bigger?
You can find out on Sept. 16, when “The World We Build” will bring together 13 Iowa-based artists for an evening of art, fashion and community in the East Village. The biennial Freedom of Expression exhibition will feature an adaptive fashion show and new works spanning multiple media from 5 to 8 p.m. at Curate, 322 E. Court Ave.
Artist Jill Wells and Katie Flippen, a leader in arts and accessibility, launched the Freedom of Expression (FOE) Project in 2022 to amplify the voices of artists of all abilities through multidisciplinary collaboration, collective mentorship, community engagement and public exhibitions.
Wells curated the first FOE Project show in 2023 at the Polk County Heritage Gallery and soon teamed up with Flippen, who knew artists who were ready to share their work. “Katie had been working with these artists for a long time,” Wells said.
In addition to giving artists of all abilities a chance to exhibit their art, the FOE Project includes a mentorship with Wells and gives artists time and space to learn from one another.
“The artists, when they’re comfortable, start offering their talents to the other people in the class. They start teaching themselves and other people, and us, how they’re creating their pieces,” Flippen said. “The talent was always there. The opportunity was not, but now it is.”
Artist Holly Newvine, pictured, created paintings and a new coat for the show. Her cat, Aurora, is one of her primary muses. “She’s my cartoon character,” Newvine said.
Newvine calls the cartoon version “Princess Aurora” and depicts the cat as royalty in her paintings. In line with this theme, the artist will wear one of her many tiaras for the fashion show, along with a coat she created out of stuffed animals. “They’re all my kids,” she said. “I play a lot.”
At the show’s opening, Newvine wants visitors to know how special art-making is to her and the joy she feels when creating her work.
Deb Robbins, Newvine’s home host provider, has lived with her for nine years and has encouraged her to pursue her art. Robbins accompanies Newvine to the studio for mentorship sessions with Wells. “Jill really has brought a lot out of her, as far as her being more expressive in her art,” Robbins said.
Although “The World We Build” features work by artists with disabilities, Flippen says that’s not what the show is about. Instead, it showcases “ability beyond what is potentially perceived.” Flippen wants people to see what happens when people have opportunities to hone their skills and bring their talents to life.
“It ripples through everything else in their lives,” Flippen said.
“The World We Build” is free and open to the public. Wells emphasized the accessibility of Curate as one of the reasons for choosing the location for the exhibition launch.
After the opening, the FOE Project’s exhibition will travel to the Des Moines Art Center, where many of the show’s participating artists have previously created artwork through the ongoing Community Access Program.
Brittany Brooke Crow is a freelance writer, photographer, visual artist and Iowa Arts Council Artist Fellow.
