Fear + Comfort

Fear is an emotion caused by a belief that something/someone is dangerous and likely to cause pain or is a threat. Comfort is a state of physical ease and/or freedom from pain and constraint. We all have things and experiences that make us fearful and those that bring comfort into our lives. Teen artists in Illinois Art Station's Art in Action program discussed their fears and what comforts them with each other and then made works of art that reflect their comforts, fears, or both. After they finished their works, each artist reflected on the topics discussed and the work they created. Teens were guided to think about what they chose to represent, how they represented it, and what it meant to them. From their reflection, they wrote artist statements to accompany their work of art. The statements in FEAR + COMFORT are shown as written by the artists. Minor modifications have been made for clarity.

This virtual exhibition highlights works from our artists in grades 9th through 12th. Teen artists met for eight 1-hour sessions to discuss the topic and complete their works of art. They had complete freedom in medium and material choice and were encouraged to engage in mixed media experimentation as they thought critically and problem solved through their art making.

Illinois Art Station would like to extend a special thank you to the Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal for partnering with us for this program.

Fear + Comfort is a virtual only exhibition.

View Fear + Comfort