Through the Eyes of the Beholder by Malissa Perry and Christen Mattix

September 3 – December 2, 2020

The Jansen Art Center is pleased to welcome Malissa Perry and Christen Mattix for an exhibit of their work. The virtual exhibit opens on September 3 and will be on display through December 2, 2020. Through the Eyes of the Beholder is a collaboration between artists — Malissa Perry, a woman with Down Syndrome and autism, and Christen Mattix, Malissa’s friend. The exhibit pairs Malissa’s abstractions with Christen’s portraits of Malissa. Overturning stereotypes of ability and disability, artist and model, the exhibit reveals a democratic approach to life. Christen’s portraits translate Malissa’s body language into paintings, finding unexpected beauty in Malissa’s appearance, evoking Malissa’s radiant spirit. Malissa makes her voice heard with bold color and compositions. When gazing into Malissa’s paintings, one is transported to realms of undersea splendor, visions of earth from space, and galactic majesty.  Each painting is a portal into an unspoken beauty.  

ARTIST STATEMENTS

Malissa Perry Bio Malissa is a self-taught artist from Bellingham, WA. Diagnosed with autism and Down syndrome, she is non-verbal, using sign language minimally. She began painting on canvas when caregiver, Nancy Daugherty, gifted her a blank canvas in 2015. Exhibitions: Smith & Vallee Gallery, Edison, WA; Jansen Art Center, Lynden, WA; Seattle University, WA; Makeshift Art Gallery, Bellingham, WA; Joseph Medical Center, Bellingham, WA. Her paintings are in many private collections. Malissa’s story made the front cover of Cascadia Weekly (December 2015), with a full article inside.     Christen Mattix Bio Christen is a multifaceted artist, WWU professor, and catalyst. Exhibitions: St. Mary’s College (Notre Dame, IN), Tacoma Art Museum, (Tacoma, WA) The Whatcom Museum (Bellingham, WA) and beyond. Residencies: James Washington Art Residency, The Vancouver Project, and Grunewald Guild. Christen’s artworks are held in public and private collections.