The Art of C.H.A.N.G.E.

2025 Exhibit

Comfort Object

Eden Davis || @gauguins_chair || Gouache on watercolor paper, 18 x 24 inches.

This painting depicts what I focused on while I was assaulted. I held on to it for life. I used gouache’s softness and matte texture to capture that still, dissociative calm. I focused on my comfort object, a plush I once called a friend when I was younger, and thought about better times. The process was both grounding and difficult. I try not to think about back then, but translating this memory into color helped me reclaim it and share my voice. It took something locked in my head and turned it into something I could show the world to say, "This happened and I'm still here." Through this piece, I want to show how survivors can reclaim their memories and find anchors of safety amid dark times. I still sleep with that plush every night. It helps calm my mind when I feel stuck thinking about what happened.

Seeds

UNI Community* || 50 individual 3"x3" canvas painted with acrylic paint and fit together

*The participants of this art piece are: Irene Scott, Hayden Burke, Brenda White, Ava Townley, Sabrina Barati, Angelique Brown, Kira Ginther, Dee Dee Benton, Salma Sahir-Orozco, Olivia Walley, Alyssa Clark, Orton Fredrick, Trever Hart, Lauryn Henderson, Izzy Carley, Brooke Bredekamp, Miya U-H, Reese McCormick, Maci Steffen, Max Rodriguez, Elijah Stice, Ripley Wakeham, Jayeanna Palm, Ellyanna Johnson, America Barron, Amela Brakic, Anahi Ramos Beltran, Ivy Hendrickson, Caroline Stoddard, Landon Stanley, Samantha Szalkowski, Grace Mernone, Courtney Meyer, Hope Pytleski, Megan Fisher, Erin Schaben, Rina Dose, Karley Friesen, Taryn Hicks, Hannah Bettis, Michaela Byra-McGee, Ella Champagne, and Avery Dennison.

Stolen Innocence

Abigail Jostad|| Acrylic on Canvas - Painting using hands only

I was struggling to process testifying at trial and the guilty verdicts that were returned. A couple of days after trial, I felt the urge to paint. I sat down with some recommended music and it began with inspiration of the light at the end of the tunnel, but as I began it shifted more into the light that was taken from me as a child. The innocence that was stolen. At the end of the process I was covered in paint.

Darkness

Abigail Jostad || Acrylic on Canvas with diamond gems as texture

This piece symbolizes the aftermath of the disclosure. How a beautifully innocent world can be blown up and how the darkness blends in with it. The process of this started with the childlike colors seen behind the black. Then I textured the piece using the left over diamond gems I had. After everything was placed I began adding the black.

Healing/New Beginnings

Anonymous|| Watered acrylic and chalk pastels

Even with the monster behind bars it is still a long and ugly road to peace.

Mascara Stains

Tulane || Poems, printed on 8.5" x 11" paper

I Never Asked For This

Tulane || Poems, printed on 8.5" x 11" paper

I recently came upon my one-year anniversary of my rape. These pieces are from the beginning of my healing process. I now fight mercilessly to advocate for this brutally increasing community. When I first started trying to write about it, I struggled to put my feelings into words or even share them with the people closest to me. But the first time I shared these pieces, was the most alive and light I had felt since the assault. Tell your story.

Hand Stitched Reminder & Believe

Carly Dalberg||Cross Stitch; Embroidery Floss on 14 ct Aida

Untitled

Anonymous|| Thread, part of children’s pogo stick, blouse

I wanted to show my support to those effected by sexual assault. This art depicts a circular metal ring with a uterus made from child’s pogo stick handle in the center and wrapped in thread.

Daddy Please Stop

Willow Corse|| @willowtheewisps|| A collection of Images, paintings, and a stuffed animal.

My motivation for my piece is the feeling of losing oneself and the feeling of losing possession of your own body after it being taking over by someone else to sexual assault of other forceful behaviors and never really being able to feel comfortable in oneself again.

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