Sawyer Yards is proud to present Wholeness is a myth, a juried exhibition curated by artist and juror Kaima Marie Akarue, featuring works from both current artists and alumni of the Sawyer Yards campus. This exhibition challenges traditional ideas of unity, exploring the tension between individuality and collectivity, distinction and cohesion. I’m a participating artist in the juried show, which features my painting “Along Dream Lake.”

Akarue’s selection process emphasizes contrast over conformity, assembling a diverse collection of works that reflect the layered identities of artists who have shared the creative spaces of Sawyer Yards — past and present — while maintaining their own distinct visual languages. Rather than suggesting harmony as the resolution to difference, Wholeness is a myth asks: What if distinction is not an obstacle to wholeness, but its very foundation?

By bringing together artists across generations of the Sawyer Yards community, this exhibition invites viewers to consider how personal, cultural, and artistic identities are shaped through connection. In a time when division is often highlighted, these works insist on a more profound truth: wholeness isn’t about becoming one thing — it’s about embracing the complexity of what we’ve always been.