Vision Redefined
Stephanie Galloway, Heather Marie Bergerson, Janet Montoya, & Rachel Preston
at Fourteenfifteen
Opening reception: Friday, April 12th, 5-8pm
Closing reception: Sunday, May 5th, 5-8pm
Vision Redefined is a group exhibition of four artists from New Mexico who are visually impaired. The artists Stephanie Galloway, Heather Marie Bergerson, Janet Montoya, & Rachel Preston, work in diverse modes, yet they are united in the shared experience of navigating a visual world with differing visions.
Stephanie Galloway, Heather Marie Bergerson, Janet Montoya, & Rachel Preston
at Fourteenfifteen
Opening reception: Friday, April 12th, 5-8pm
Closing reception: Sunday, May 5th, 5-8pm
Vision Redefined is a group exhibition of four artists from New Mexico who are visually impaired. The artists Stephanie Galloway, Heather Marie Bergerson, Janet Montoya, & Rachel Preston, work in diverse modes, yet they are united in the shared experience of navigating a visual world with differing visions.
Heather Marie Bergerson (b.1990) is a German-American multimedia artist who recently became visually impaired due to a life-threatening car accident in 2020. Inspired by biological survival mechanisms, Bergerson explores the relationship between nature and humanity, particularly focusing on parallels between carnivorous plants, fungi, and human behaviors. As a researcher, explorer, survivor, and a mother, Bergerson infuses her creations with authenticity and depth through mediums such as printmaking, oil painting, and large-scale collaborative projects.
Artist Statement
Symbiotic Serenity delves into the delicate equilibrium between the primal energies of fungi and the voracious allure of carnivorous plants, illuminating the perpetual rhythm of life. Fungi embody the essence of decay and subsequent rebirth, while carnivorous plants epitomize resilience and the capacity for adaptation. Through the tactile medium of collagraph, viewers are beckoned to intimately interact with the artwork’s matrix, fostering a sensory exploration of this symbiotic relationship.
Artist Statement
Symbiotic Serenity delves into the delicate equilibrium between the primal energies of fungi and the voracious allure of carnivorous plants, illuminating the perpetual rhythm of life. Fungi embody the essence of decay and subsequent rebirth, while carnivorous plants epitomize resilience and the capacity for adaptation. Through the tactile medium of collagraph, viewers are beckoned to intimately interact with the artwork’s matrix, fostering a sensory exploration of this symbiotic relationship.
Some of Stephanie Galloway's earliest memories revolve around walks down Canyon Road in Santa Fe with her parents. Canyon Road etched a deep appreciation for contemporary art into her psyche. As the child of parents who are artists, Stephanie always found it natural to experiment with and create images. The power of her experiences has a large influence on her art and her love for art. She taught art to children as the Children Zone Leader of the Rail Yards Market and is the founder of Free Art Friday Albuquerque. She was born with Amblyopia. Amblyopia is an eye condition where there is a breakdown in how the brain and eye work together. The brain can't recognize the sight from one eye and over time the brain relies more on the stronger eye and the vision in the weaker eye gets worse. Her work in the show is reflective of her experience of how both her eyes see the world.
Rachel Preston is a Santa Fe based artist known for her award-winning storytelling collaborations around concepts of Place. Her work has included designing architecture and landscapes, documentary filmmaking, curations of art and magazines, writing, and creating artistic works in a variety of media. Rachel's work is informed by her central blindness (similar to macular degeneration with geographic atrophy) and the impacts of Charles Bonnet Syndrome, which causes her to hallucinate. For Vision Redefined, she'll be producing new collaborations as well as original works in feltwork, jewelry, poetry, and photography.
IG: @eyeheartrachel @archiministry
Hi my name is Janet Montoya. I am a resident of White Rock, New Mexico. At the age of 50 I became legally blind from an eye condition called cone cell dystrophy. This condition affects my central vision and it also means my eyes are very light sensitive. Of course, getting this diagnosis, which has no cure or treatment, put me on a different course for my life. I could no longer participate in the games that I enjoyed, such as tennis, volleyball, table tennis, and baseball. After obtaining some independent life skills from the Commission for the Blind and being encouraged to still live life. I pursued other alternatives to staying engaged in life.
A friend introduced me to alcohol inks. “But I am not an artist,” I said. Then I decided, what do I have to lose by trying. I watched several you tube videos and after my first attempt I was hooked.
The inks are used on synthetic paper which allows them to flow. They are manipulated by blowing on them. This can be done with just your breath, a straw, a hand bulb, hair dryer, or air compressor. The vibrant colors and the flexibility that the medium offers allows me to feel a sense of freedom in creating art that brings me joy. I share my artwork in hopes that it brings joy to others as well. #whatdoyousee
A friend introduced me to alcohol inks. “But I am not an artist,” I said. Then I decided, what do I have to lose by trying. I watched several you tube videos and after my first attempt I was hooked.
The inks are used on synthetic paper which allows them to flow. They are manipulated by blowing on them. This can be done with just your breath, a straw, a hand bulb, hair dryer, or air compressor. The vibrant colors and the flexibility that the medium offers allows me to feel a sense of freedom in creating art that brings me joy. I share my artwork in hopes that it brings joy to others as well. #whatdoyousee
